Deputy Governor Peter Willis said this week.

Mr. Willis was speaking after reports that the chief minister of the Caribbean island of Anguilla said he was suspicious of a UK plan to abolish two parliamentary positions. And some reports said it was feared that Britain was trying to force the island into Independence.

But Mr. Willis said: "British policy remains the same -- Independence is entirely a matter for dependent territories.'' And he added: "As far as Bermuda is concerned, it has its own Constitution and that sets out clearly the responsibilities of Government and the responsibility of the Governor.'' The row between Anguilla and the UK broke out because the Anguilla constitution provides for its legislature to be made up of seven elected representatives, two ex-officio members and two nominated members.

But London intends to abolish the nominated members and replace them with additional elected representatives to better serve democratic government, said British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, in a December 17 letter to chief minister Hubert Hughes.

But Mr. Hughes told reporters last week he did not understand the reason for more elected representatives for an island of fewer than 10,000 people.

Mr. Hughes accused Britain of trying to meddle with Anguilla's constitution and put the Caribbean island back in the "dire state of colonial rule.'' Anguilla became a British Dependent Territory in 1982. In 1969, British forces entered the island to prevent its breakaway from a three-island State Association with St. Kitt's and Nevis.

Peter Willis