Premier Alex Scott agreed yesterday that the mechanism for deciding on Independence is best decided in Bermuda, not Whitehall.

A visiting delegation from the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association made the call this week saying it would be ?invidious? for Britain to make the decision for Bermuda especially considering that the political parties appear to be polarised on the issue.

UK Overseas Territories Minister Bill Rammell was forced to admit that his Government had no clear position on whether the Island used a referendum or a General Election to decide on Independence, when Mr. Scott brought the subject up at an Overseas Territories conference last week.

Mr. Rammell promised a policy decision by the end of the year and invited submissions from the colonies in the meantime. The ruling Progressive Labour Party has historically supported the General Election option, while the Opposition United Bermuda Party supports a referendum.

Yesterday Mr. Scott sounded a conciliatory tone.

?Historically, every country that has gone independent has done so through a General Election. He (Mr. Rammell) would want me to give a balanced view that while that may be so current practice and thinking, certainly in the EU and Great Britain, the facility of a referendum is a tool that is being used,? the Premier said.

?So history is on our side, opinion in Europe and Great Britain may be elsewhere.?

Mr. Scott said that Government?s submission to Mr. Rammell would include the views of the Opposition Party.

?I have no difficulty in canvassing the Leader of the Opposition for his view on referendum. I will ask my party if they want to strengthen their argument for a General Election and then I will make sure these views are reflected in any upcoming opportunity for us to put this before Mr. Rammell,? he said.

?I think it just gives the community a chance now to begin to come together on this question of sovereignty. It?s not going to be an Alex Scott position, it?s not going to be the PLP position, it?s not going to be the Government dictating. It?s going to be us trying to involve as many Bermudians in the discussion. I think that hasn?t happened in the past and we want to encourage it to happen on this occasion.?

Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons could not be reached for comment by Press time last night.

The Premier also agreed with suggestions that Bermuda improves its representation in the UK. He pointed out that the British Virgin Islands has its own building in London, and Cayman was also represented.

?If we remain to be an Overseas Territory, it follows that to have a presence among those who are in actual fact constitutionally able to make decisions for us ? we should be near to them, we should be able to let them see and hear what?s going on in Bermuda, so they make informed decisions.?

The Premier?s comments came during a Press conference to report on his attendance at the Overseas Territories conference in London last week. He attended the conference with Attorney General Larry Mussenden and Cabinet Secretary John Drinkwater.

The conference discussed disaster preparedness, the relationship between Britain and its colonies, constitutional modernisation, and sustainable development, the Premier reported. He said the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ivan in the Caribbean took priority at his urging.