more detailed than any previous Cabinet Paper on the subject.

"I think people will see it as a fair document which has been well fleshed out,'' said acting Premier the Hon. Clarence Terceira, a member of the five-member committee that wrote the discussion paper, called a Green Paper.

The committee, chaired by Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman, brought together Cabinet Ministers with opposing views on Independence, Dr. Terceira noted. Despite that, they were able to agree on the facts.

"It was not difficult, because of the neutrality of the chairman,'' Dr.

Terceira said. "The public knows that he personally is for Independence. They know that I personally am against Independence.'' But "we have tremendous respect for each other,'' he said of Mr. Pearman. "I have even more respect for him now.'' Dr. Terceira said the newest Green Paper is more extensive than the one presented to Parliament by then Premier the Hon. Sir John Sharpe in 1977.

"We've gone into everything,'' he said.

But in the area of costs, it will be similar to the 1977 Green Paper in that it will present three different Independence options, each with its own estimated price tag.

The committee was charged with examining the pros and cons not only of going Independent, but Bermuda remaining a dependent territory.

It was also to look at possible Constitutional changes for Bermuda while remaining a dependent territory, but Dr. Terceira confirmed that the UK was not prepared to offer such options currently.

"There is a section that explains that very well.'' The Green Paper is likely to be tabled along with legislation to provide for a referendum on the issue this summer.

Dr. Terceira said he was not certain whether the Green Paper would be tabled on the first day the House of Assembly resumes on February 3. While the committee's work is completed, the document must still be approved by Cabinet and the caucus, he said.

Ohter Ministers on the committee were Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess, Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill, and Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul.