Bermuda will see a shift in the balance of the Independence debate in 1995, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan predicted this week.

Until now, "the antis have been able to express their views, because they're against it,'' Sir John told The Royal Gazette . "They're persistent.'' However, "there's a lot of misinformation out there, and a lot of fear,'' Sir John said. "We just have to wait and see once we put all the facts out there.

"If you live by fear, you make decisions by fear, and usually...you'll make the wrong decisions.'' Cabinet Ministers will be free to state their views on Independence once the Independence debate begins, he said. And Sir John himself may take a leading role in the debate. "Just wait and see,'' he said.

A discussion paper called a Green Paper, which is to examine the pros and cons of going Independent or remaining a dependent territory, is nearly completed, Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman said. It might be tabled when the House of Assembly resumes on February 3, he said.

The referendum is planned for mid-summer, and legislation to permit it will also be tabled early in the session, Mr. Pearman said. Once the referendum bill is tabled, "then I suppose one can express a view.'' Mr. Pearman said Government would not take a position for or against Independence, but "there are a couple of areas where the Government would need to put out a policy statement on what its policies would be if the Country decided to move in a certain direction.'' Sir John said it was a common mistake for low attendance at Independence meetings to be interpreted as a lack of interest in the subject. The debate would not truly begin until the Green Paper was tabled.

"You have a conservative society,'' he said. "People have opinions, and views, but they have very comfortable homes and very comfortable environments, and other things to do. It doesn't mean they don't have opinions.'' Asked what he personally wanted for Bermuda, Sir John said: "I stand for what is right for Bermuda, whatever it is. Bermuda has been very good to me, and I have devoted my life to what is in the best interests of Bermuda. I do it without fear. I have to live with my God and my conscience.'' The Premier said it was time for the Country to find out "where we are, who we are, what we want to be, and how we're going to achieve it -- not just a superficial, knee-jerk, reactionary sort of definition, but something that has sufficient depth and understanding.'' And giving all people a say was part of "the new Bermuda.'' "The referendum is important,'' Sir John said. Even Britain, which was historically opposed to referenda, was now speaking of them more favourably.

They were used extensively in the United States. And other developed countries, like Switzerland and Singapore, used them.

"It's one way in which you don't allow the opinions of a few people to determine what's in the best interests of all.'' SIR JOHN SWAN -- Predicts shift in balance of Independence debate in 1995.