The four members of the Cabinet committee that wrote Government's Independence position papers were responding to a question from Government Sen. Yvette Swan during a Government forum at the Horticultural Hall in Paget. She wanted to know if Bermuda would return to "business as usual'' after the vote.

Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman, said Independence had never been on the back burner. "It's on the front burner smoking,'' Dr. Saul said. "It's never going to go away.'' Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill said: "It's illogical and unreasonable to think that this issue will go away as long as we're a dependent territory.'' Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess had a similar view. "If it is a reasonable expectation that every country should aim toward self-determination, then until you reach that position it's a dream unfulfilled, and it won't go away.'' Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira, the only committee member who staunchly opposes Independence, took a different tack. Regardless of the outcome on August 15, it would not be "business as usual'' for Bermuda, he said.

If Bermudians vote yes, "economic activity will be dead,'' for six months, he said. If the answer is no, there will be "economic frenzy'' for three months, due to projects put on hold awaiting the outcome.

About 100 people attended the two-hour meeting. The crowd was mainly white and anti-Independence. Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan, in the crowd with his running mate the Hon. Grant Gibbons, took criticism from his Paget East constituents over his pro-Independence stand.

Dr. Saul said three pros and three cons of Independence could be easily identified. On the down side, a small country like Bermuda would have to split up its limited number of top brains on the world stage, there would be apprehension, discontentment and worry "for some time'', and "your taxes will go up slightly'', he said.

As for the positives, there was a psychological boost in nationhood, decision-making and international agreements would be made easier, and "your international image skyrockets'', he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Burgess and Dr. Terceira clashed after the Transport Minister said the only corruption he knew of during his political career was on the part of a British Governor.

Without naming former Governor Sir Richard Posnett, Mr. Burgess said he was elected in 1983 and was apprised by former Premier the Hon. Sir David Gibbons -- who had resigned a year earlier -- that the Governor "had to go'' because he "had engaged in appropriate behaviour''.

But Dr. Terceira said he knew the Governor in question and the row which led to his sudden resignation was "the most unfortunate thing for the Premier of this Country to do''.

The Premier "did not like the Governor, they did not get on well, and he was determined to force him out'', Dr. Terceira said. "It's very unfair to talk of him being corrupt when he's not here to defend himself.''