following a claim the party would try to use them to gain control in local communities.

Government member Senator Larry Scott said the Opposition was on a "crest of success'' after its election achievements.

There was an "unspoken agenda'' behind its demand for parish councils to be elected and given more powers, he said.

But Opposition Senate leader Sen. Milton Scott , who proposed the move, denied any hidden agenda.

He said his suggestion would boost grassroots democracy, help women and blacks enter politics, and improve local services.

"We simply want to see the type of community involvement that is needed to energise the community,'' he said.

"There is nothing more powerful in a country when a movement to reform it comes from the grassroots level.'' After an 8-3 vote against, Sen. Scott's motion was watered down to a call for the role of the councils to be examined, "so that they may better support Bermuda''.

Elected parish vestries, created in 1929, were replaced with appointed councils in 1971.

The 12-member councils, which used to be elected, once investigated social assistance applications. They were later reduced mainly to cheque-issuing bodies and recently lost that role too.

Until 1971, councils collected some property taxes and had responsibility for street lighting, garbage collection, district nursing and weights and measures.

Sen. Milton Scott began the debate by saying Bermuda needed "truly participatory democracy at grassroots level'' -- a long-term PLP policy.

Elected parish councils would be a training ground for people often left out of the electoral process. Women and blacks had used the former parish vestries to enter politics.

A meeting of Devonshire parish vestry in the mid-60s attracted so many people it had to be moved to City Hall, he said. Voters had been mobilised and interested in community affairs.

After universal suffrage came in 1968, the "old guard'' had seen its privileged position threatened.

Seeing that vestries would be largely controlled by Bermudians of African descent -- a larger proportion of the population than now -- the "old guard'' had abolished parish elections.

Sen. Scott agreed garbage and street-lighting were better controlled nationally. But abolishing the vestries had led to a decline in community involvement in local affairs.

Some parish councils were involved in community affairs more than others, Sen.

Scott continued.

Management Services had done a survey into them which had "raised some concern'', and he wanted to see it.

Although councils were supposed to open at least one meeting every year to the public, he could not remember seeing one advertised.

The PLP would like to see drug and alcohol problems as the top priority for parish councils, he said, along with giving relief to poor and indigent parishioners.

The national youth corps could be organised at parish level, and the councils could also help in education restructuring and improving parent-school relationships. Rest homes were important issues for them too.

He said he was not aware of parish councils bringing up issues with Ministers or creating community groups. Not enough of them were getting involved in recreation.

If his proposal was carried out, Parliamentarians would be more accountable and attentive to local concerns.

Parish councils could re-kindle the spirit of "I am my neighbour's keeper''.

The UBP's Sen. Larry Scott said some of the PLP ideas were probably worth considering.

It was strange to find them thinking the same as the "old guard'' who had fought against the parish vestries being abolished.

The parish system had been changed at a time when Bermuda was moving to "a whole new way of government''.

One of the prime reasons Government had changed the parish vestry system was that the vestries were tied to the Anglican church.

It had been unfair for people not in that church to have to contribute to it.

It was progressive to have got rid of the anachronism of the vestries, Sen.

Scott said. This had been done even before local government was cut back in the UK by Mrs. Margaret Thatcher.

Giving parish councils more power could result in differing standards, he added, recalling a period when Somerset became "unkempt'' when run by the vestry.

There was no shortage of training grounds for politicians, he said. The PLP believed it was "on the move'' and could have control in local communities, he said.

"They're riding what they believe to be the crest of success. They have garnered more support than they have ever before, and they won more than we won in this last election period.'' Bermudians had become selfish in the 1980s and liked to enjoy their luxuries in the privacy of their own homes, he said.

He was not sure extending parish councils' powers would invite people back into the community. People did community work in the past to make their lives more complete, but now they had TV.

Just getting a workmen's club to function efficiently was now an awesome task, he said. Expertise and commitment was missing, and people went to entertainment but stayed away from meetings.

Proposing an "examination'' of parish councils, he said he was not sure they needed the "all-engulfing'' powers suggested by the Opposition.

He was against elected councils because he did not want to see the adversarial politics of Parliament continue at that level.

He questioned how such a new "civil service'' would be paid for. Voters did not want any more taxes, he said.

Bermuda had moved towards central government because it was smarter financially.

"Central administration is by far the best method to administer our affairs.'' Independent Sen. Alf Oughton wondered if it would make any difference in efficiency for a council to be appointed or elected.

Some things in the 1971 parish council act were not being abided by, he said.

He also wanted to see the Management Services survey to get an idea "where the weaknesses are''.

He supported Sen. Larry Scott, saying he too would hate to see national politics brought to parishes.

He would want an examination of how councils got appointed, he said. The same people were appointed to Government boards "ad nauseum''.

He believed people were now more willing to step forward and help fight social problems like drugs.

Sen. Milton Scott concluded by denying his proposed councils would mean duplication of effort.

He denied people only wanted to watch TV. And he said workmen's clubs did not have difficulties for the reasons Sen. Larry Scott gave.

They might be experiencing a "brain drain'' because people were going to "establishment clubs''.

"Voluntarism'' was alive in the Island, he said.