The Transport Minister has promised a major announcement for Monday afternoon but gave no indication to Parliament what it was about.

Dr. Ewart Brown has promised the press conference will be "historic'' and said the development was a "direct result'' of Government's "tireless'' efforts at gaining greater autonomy in the Island's affairs.

He was speaking during the announcements' period of yesterday's House of Assembly session.

Government has "seized the initiative'' and has an "important milestone'' to report, Dr. Brown added, saying "for years the Bermuda Government has sought to increase'' its powers abroad.

He also read from UK government policy on Overseas Territories concerning giving the colonies greater autonomy and "determining their own future''.

It is believed Dr. Brown is hinting that the UK has loosened controls under the Bermuda II Agreement of 1977, allowing the Island to negotiate its own air routes.

But Dr. Brown gave no details of what will be the subject of the press conference.

The UK and US have been in negotiation for years on Bermuda II, which restricts trans-Atlantic flights to London's Heathrow Airport.

In the past, the Ministry of Tourism has openly stated it would like new flights from routes in Frankfurt, Chicago and Miami but these routes would have to be ratified by Britain and the US.

In February, news broke that US congressmen were threatening to deny landing spots for British planes and impose sanctions because the UK would not ratify a new "open skies'' aviation deal.

The British were concerned the deal would give US carriers access to greater Europe while denying the domestic market to its carriers.

With news the negotiations were taking a bad turn, Dr. Brown's Ministry had hired a consultant to act in Bermuda's interests.

Dr. Brown was optimistic in February there would be a solution to the disagreement, saying: "Bermuda has much to gain or loose depending on the level of cooperation between the US and UK.''