Bermudians can expect more dialogue and fewer laws from Government, the Deputy Premier said yesterday.

The Hon. Irving Pearman was responding to questions about the dearth of legislation the United Bermuda Party Government has brought before the House of Assembly since the current session began on November 5.

Aside from tax and other changes related to the Budget in February, only five pieces of Government legislation have passed the House. One of those, the Independence Referendum Act 1994, is still hung up after it was amended in the Senate.

Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade has blasted Government for apparently lacking an agenda and being too tied up with Independence talk to get anything done.

"It would seem as if there has been a paralysis, perhaps as a result of the Independence referendum discussion,'' Mr. Wade said yesterday.

"Government is not functioning.

"After having a six-week adjournment, we expected the Government to come back to the House fully prepared and ready to implement its blueprint.'' Yesterday, Mr. Pearman acknowledged that debate on a proposed referendum on Independence had taken up Cabinet and caucus time. But "not to affect any measures'' that Government planned, he said.

Mr. Pearman said few new bills should be expected before the session ended in July. And "you're going to start the next session off with discussion again,'' he said.

The days when Government would "legislate for the sake of legislation is passed.'' Instead, Bermudians could expect more debate on "take note'' motions, with new laws arising from those debates "if necessary.'' Mr. Wade said "take note'' motions were fine sometimes, but "some things cannot be done without legislation.'' Education could not be reformed without a new Education Act, Mr. Wade said.

Similarly a new Human Rights Act and a Race Relations Act were needed.

Because of recent difficulties in the House, "Government may be afraid of bringing forward anything controversial to Parliament for fear of losing it,'' Mr. Wade said.

Mr. Pearman said Government had "learned over time that just going forward...without broad discussion leaves the community out there without fully understanding the objectives.'' As an example, Mr. Pearman cited the reports of the Commission of Competitiveness and the Employment Task Force that would be tabled in the House today. Both involved wide community consultation, he said.

"The thought that we're just not getting on with Government business is not true. We have a Blueprint,'' he said in reference to a UBP campaign document that contained 110 promises but no mention of Independence.

A backlog created by a staff shortage in the Attorney General's Chambers was not the problem, he said. Instead of bringing forward new laws, "we've had some broad-based studies done.'' For the second straight week, Government would not proceed today with a proposed Senate amendment to its Independence referendum legislation, Government Whip Mr. John Barritt said yesterday.

Faced with caucus dissent and procedural difficulties, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan is not expected to move on the proposed referendum before fall. A short day is in store, as none of the five items on the order paper is expected to go forward.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons is to make a statement on the Tynes Bay Incinerator, which is now burning garbage.

A "take note'' debate on the report of the Police Tumim Committee recently tabled by Mr. Pearman is set for next Friday.

Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister would not proceed today with his "take note'' motion on a Government report recommending changes in Bermuda's taxi industry, Opposition Whip Mr. Stanley Lowe said.

Since the session began, the Traffic Offences (Penalties) Amendment Amendment Act 1993, the Housing Allowance Amendment Act 1993, the Merchant Shipping (Demise Charter) Act 1994, and the Parish Assistance (Repeal) Act 1994 are the only Government bills dealt with, other than the Independence Referendum Act.