says he and his committee will keep the Independence drum beating.

"The issue did not begin with (former) Premier (Sir John) Swan, and obviously it won't end with him,'' Mr. Brown said at a news conference yesterday.

The five-year-old Committee for the Independence of Bermuda wants to boost its membership to 1,000 from 120 by the end of this year, he said.

"It's very important to continue with our objective, despite the results of the 1995 referendum,'' said Mr. Brown, who appeared at the Leopards Club with committee secretary Mr. Darren Easton and treasurer Mr. Perry Mason.

Mr. Brown said 1995 "was an ideal time to pursue Independence, and regrettably we didn't achieve it, largely because of machinations within political parties''.

He denied the result of the August 16 referendum -- in which 74 percent of those who cast ballots voted "no'' -- was a resounding rejection of Independence.

"The majority of persons who were eligible to vote in the referendum either voted `yes' or chose not to vote at all,'' Mr. Brown said.

"You cannot say an overwhelming majority of people were opposed to Independence.'' Issues that were raised in the run-up to the vote, like Bermuda's position in a rapidly-changing world and the need for a collective identity, were "just as relevant today''.

And the referendum debate largely centred around whether or not to participate, he said. "The issues were not sufficiently addressed.'' As well as the new membership drive, Mr. Brown announced the sale of pro-Independence bumper stickers and a plan by committee members to visit people's homes when invited to explain the benefits of Independence.

The committee would also be releasing brochures on issues relevant to Independence, like Bermuda's lack of elected control over the Police and the effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement, he said.

The committee would be seeking the support of former Premier Sir John Swan, he said.