Bermuda's Independence will come under a Progressive Labour Party (PLP) Government, according to party chairman Neville Tyrell.

And Premier Alex Scott will be addressing the topic in his keynote address at the party's annual Founder's Day luncheon on Sunday.

Mr. Scott indicated yesterday that he will be giving a more substantive statement on the issue than has been heard since the PLP came into power in 1998.

“We're actually doing something different this year - we are going to honour our past leaders,” he said. “But the highlight of the afternoon will be our present leader giving the keynote address and included in that will be the party's position on Independence.”

“I think we are going to be Government for a long time,” he said, when asked why he was so sure Independence would come under a PLP Government.

But he wouldn't comment when asked for a time frame.

“I'm not going to get into that. I'm not taking any thunder from Alex's speech on Sunday - he may or may not have a time frame. But I'm certain it will come under a PLP Government.”

Mr. Scott's speech on Sunday will be eagerly anticipated and many supporters will be expecting the first definitive statement on Independence by a PLP Premier.

After advocating strongly for Independence since its inception in the early 1960s, the PLP leadership started waffling on the issue once it became Government.

Former Premier Jennifer Smith would only say that Independence was not on the cards for the first term in office and may not even be on the cards for the second term.

And when the matter was raised at the party's annual conference last year, Mr. Scott said he would “not discourage” debate on the issue.

Premier Alex Scott said yesterday that his conference statement went further than most had in the past, when it was suggested that supporters would be expecting more from him on Sunday. “Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.”

His comments will go even further was all he would say.

“You come in and find out. I don't think folks will go away disappointed and I think Bermuda is ready for what we are about to say. I hope they are going to be receptive.”

Mr. Scott said the overall purpose of the speech will be to focus on the accomplishments of the party's five previous leaders and to acknowledge the “tremendous, vision and foresight of the founding fathers”.

But, he said, it was not possible to speak of their contributions without speaking of the issues that they gave their lives to the PLP to address.

“They had a burning desire to create an organisation that would see the improvement of the quality of live of the ordinary Bermudian,” he said. “One of the things they envisioned was that there would be a move to Independence. And I think that now in 2004, I as the current leader would be remiss if I didn't speak to their dream.”