Britain's bid to rewrite relations with its colonies will be discussed by MPs today.

And the debate on the British White Paper's offer of full citizenship for the Overseas Territories -- but with demands for better financial and human rights laws -- is set to take up the bulk of the day.

Government Whip Ottiwell Simmons said: "One would hope that everybody would participate -- the White Paper is for debating purposes and it's really a sounding board for Britain and Bermudians, too.

"The public want to know more about it and want to get the views of their leaders in the community, both Government and Opposition.'' Mr. Simmons added: "I'm hopeful the debate will be constructive and that all of us will bear in mind that what's really important about this is the citizens of Bermuda.'' But last night Opposition Whip Cole Simons blasted Government's delay in holding the debate -- and attacked the ruling Progressive Labour Party for failing to keep the people of the Island up to date on the implications of the White Paper.

The Opposition United Bermuda Party -- which was in power when the massive UK Foreign Office review of relations with its colonies was started by Foreign Secretary Robin Cook -- took the lead on the White Paper by holding a series of road shows.

The Opposition has given a cautious welcome to the White Paper -- but struck a note of caution over the "vague'' sections dealing with financial regulation for fear UK moves could damage Bermuda's prosperity.

Mr. Simons welcomed news that the debate would take place today.

He said: "They're finally taking people out of the darkness -- we will be in a listening mode because this is a take note motion and we're glad they're finally bringing it to the people of this Country.'' He added: "It's incumbent on that Government to educate and bring up the water level so people can learn how this Country is running.

"But the White Paper is a good example of the fact that they're not doing this -- they've had no public meetings and no education programmes as far as I know.'' Mr. Simons also said the Opposition's questions would centre on Government's position on the UK offer, including Britain's insistence on an end to hanging and flogging -- with Bermuda being the only Overseas Territory still with both on its law books.

He said: "We want to know what action they intend to take, the impact it will have on the people in the street and corporate Bermuda.

"Nobody knows what they have learnt from the British Government and we want them to address the fiscal issues. It's the Government's responsibility to educate the people of this Country and they haven't done that.

"We're looking forward to the debate -- but Government shouldn't have deprived the people of this Country for so long.

"The White Paper was tabled in March and this has been sitting on the order paper for weeks.'' And he called for Government to include the Opposition in the preparation of Bermuda's official reply to the White Paper.

MPs to debate White Paper Mr. Simons said: "We also want to know if our input will be invited -- we represent more than 40 percent of the people of Bermuda and they are entitled to representation.'' Also set to generate heated debate is a bid to raise the level of rent which falls under Government rent control to take account of the rise in Annual Rental Values for properties.

Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome said the move was to protect poorer tenants from being hit by massive rent increases by landlords.

Mr. Bascome said rent control generally kicked in for properties with an ARV of $9,000 or less -- but the first revaluation in a decade had increased ARVs by an average of 70 percent, so he wanted to revise the rent control level up as well.

But UBP backbencher Trevor Moniz hit back and said the proposed changes would hit the less-well-off -- and bog down landlords in a red-tape nightmare.

And he claimed moving the rent control yardstick upwards would penalise fair landlords -- while those who gouged tenants with steep rents would escape.

It has been estimated more than 5,000 extra properties will fall under rent control -- a 50 percent increase.

The abolition of rent control exemptions for properties built after June, 1983 has contributed towards the increase in the number of rent-controlled properties.