not be universally popular. Bermuda's government is faced with just that situation with long-term non-Bermudian residents.

This important issue would have been settled by the United Kingdom Government if Bermuda had chosen Independence. As with other countries going independent, the UK Government would have specified that long-term residents be given the choice of citizenship. The United Kingdom might well have specified that citizenship be given to anyone who had been in Bermuda for more that five years. For far too long we have been promised solutions which have never solidified.

The latest Throne Speech said that the UBP government would bring forth legislation to deal with the question. "...we recognise the obligation that we have to people who have been here for decades and now have Bermudian children. These issues will be addressed.'' There has to be some acceptance of the fact that it is immoral for Bermuda to take for itself the best 20 years of someone's life and then tell them that they are no longer welcome here. The people who come to work here are employed because no Bermudian can fulfil the job. That means they are necessary to Bermuda.

Premier David Saul has been quoted as saying that there will be debates in Parliament and special town meetings so that he can hear from the people on these issues. Consulting the people is very important especially if Government is trying to identify or clarify a problem. However we think that the problem is already very clear and what is needed now is for Government to lead in announcing decisions.

As it stands now regulations surrounding these issues have been amended over the years in bits and pieces until Bermuda has a hodge podge. What is needed is a clear and direct set of regulations which are applied evenly. Clearly it is illogical to have a situation where children can obtain Bermuda Status but their long-term resident parents may or may not.

We have to remember that a large number of Bermudians married non-Bermudians.

Many of us are second and third generation Bermudians as a result of people who came here from Britain and the West Indies to work and chose to stay.

Bermuda must behave as a civilised country with sensible and humane laws. We have to be careful not to treat non-Bermudian workers badly lest other countries decide not to accept Bermudians. Bermudians do go to live in other countries with far more lenient immigration laws than we have at home.

Bermudians educate many of their children abroad and they travel a great deal.

Very few Bermudians would accept for themselves the kind of treatment we hand out to other people.