Government is open to hearing arguments for a referendum on Independence ? despite the Progressive Labour Party's long-held position that Independence should be brought through a General Election, said Premier Alex Scott on Friday.

Responding to criticism from the leader of the United Bermuda Party Grant Gibbons, Mr. Scott said he was serious about his call for an open national discussion on Independence.

Dr. Gibbons called last week for the country to agree on the procedures to be used to go to Independence before embarking on an open discussion on the subject.

He criticised the ruling party for its stance that a General Election is the proper way to determine the will of the people on Independence and its rejection of the referendum option favoured by the Opposition party.

But Mr. Scott said that the procedure is already on the agenda, and that it was unreasonable for anyone to abandon a position going into a debate. "I don't expect Dr. Gibbons or the UBP, or anyone, to abandon his position at least at the outset of the conversation or debate," the Premier said.

"That's what the discussion is about ? for us to hear clearly where the rest of the community is as it relates to our various perspectives ? on all the issues, including the way that it should be done. We may come across such a strong compelling argument that we say 'listen we never saw it that way, we now see the light and we are going to change.' That's what a broad national debate is supposed to achieve.

"As to whether we really mean that there should be a fulsome debate, of course we do. And we are very pleased that to date there has been a seeming widespread initial discussion on the subject of Independence. So I would say that we are off to a good start."

The UBP believes Independence should be put to the people in a referendum, while the PLP has long held that it should come through a General Election. But the Premier repeated assurances made last week that the party was willing to be guided by what Bermudians think.

And he said no one should be expected to abandon their stance before any discussion takes place.

"You wouldn't expect them (the UBP) to give up their position even before they begin talking," he said.

Dr. Gibbons had accused Mr. Scott of making contradictory statements following his call for a national dialogue. And the Opposition Leader said that the ruling party should have learned a lesson from the controversy over the electoral reform process.

To that, Mr. Scott said: "We did. We learned that we were quite right."

To another of Dr. Gibbons' accusations, Mr. Scott said he was confident, not arrogant. "He confuses arrogance with confidence and confidence with arrogance. I'm a very confident person."

Dr. Gibbons also noted that the process of consultation started by the Governor on how to go about changing the Constitution had not yet been completed. But the Premier said: "Remember we're asking for Independence from Great Britain, we're not asking to slavishly follow them."