Independence advocate Walton Brown has criticised Premier Alex Scott for his approach on Independence, saying he should have shown stronger leadership.

And he said he would be happy to participate in a national discussion on Independence if the Premier set a clear timetable for the country to make decision on nationhood.

"I'm disinclined ? and I believe the public should be as well ? to participate in a national discussion without any firm date for actually rendering a decision," the political commentator and publisher said yesterday.

"In my opinion it's far more appropriate for the Government to articulate a clear position on the question and have a discussion leading up to a decision."

Mr. Brown, who has in past years campaigned almost single-handedly for Bermuda's Independence, had maintained a deafening silence on last month's call by the Premier for an open, national discussion last ? until now.

He said that Independence had long been debated by Bermudians starting with a discussion paper in 1977.

"And there were two half-hearted efforts on rendering a decision ? one was in 1985 with the attempt in the Senate to have a referendum followed by an actual referendum in 1995," he said.

"In my view, any further discussion on Independence must be contained within a framework that has as its clear objective a decision on Independence."

Early this month Mr. Scott acknowledged to that his approach of an open ended discussion may rankle pro-Independence die-hards who were expecting a date to be set.

But he defended his decision, saying that the issue had the potential to polarise the community, and a national consensus has to be built.

"I'm sure and I can totally understand (the pro-Independence critics)", he said. "And those who are against it will say 'why did you raise the Independence word again'. So what I'm saying is anybody who is for it has to realise one fundamental thing ? to achieve Independence you have to take a significant majority with you and setting a date may be a date that you will fall in love with and others will hate."

The Premier added : "Let's set a schedule of discussion so that by the time we come to the point if we are to set a date, there are many people who will say 'I can't wait'. Or 'listen let's soberly consider what we are about to do, because while I'm prepared to decide what we are deciding upon has ramifications because of my now clear understanding of what we are doing.'"

Mr. Brown said: "There are many issues that have polarised the community but the Government needs to take a stand on many issues and this certainly is an issue they need to take a stand on."

He said the whole country knew where the Progressive Labour Party stands on Independence. "It is enshrined in the party's constitution. So no-one is mistaken in believing they are for Independence. If you are against an issue why would you raise it for discussion ? So it needs to move away from the cloud of uncertainty."

He added : "If the Government sets a date for a decision about Independence then there is no question I will participate in the debate. I'm happy to participate in any debate that helps people to gain the kind of information they need in order to gain a greater sense of democracy which can only be acquired through national Independence."

Mr. Brown said it should not take more than a year of discussion before the country is ready to make a decision, and the best mechanism would be a referendum.

"You get a very simple question to which people can simply say 'yes' or 'no'."

He added that going the way of elections would be risky for the Government. The experience of other countries in the Caribbean and Africa, which chose the election route to independence, was that the party in favour won by a clear majority. That would not be the case in Bermuda, he said.

"It's unlikely that any election here with Independence as a key item is going to lead to a clear defeat or victory of either party."

Under the Westminster system, he explained, a party could win the Government without winning the majority of the popular vote.