Government yesterday signalled a future green light to a US-style Green Card solution to the problems of long-term residents.

MPs discussed the matter until shortly after 10 p.m. last night.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness said: "It seems to be a very popular option and our benches don't have any difficulty with it.'' But he added that grants of status in special cases could not be ruled out.

Mr. Edness was speaking after a Green Paper on the plight of long-term residents, people who have notched up 20 years or more on the Island -- was tabled in the House of Assembly.

He added that a balance had to be struck between protecting Bermudians' rights and those of long-term residents.

But he said that general opinion also seemed to be in favour of ending the heartache of split families -- those with one non-Bermudian parent divorced from a Bermudian and families with children who had differing status.

Mr. Edness said: "I still think that some status has to be considered -- there seems to be a consensus that something should be done for these people -- a Bermudian brother or sister or a son or daughter who is Bermudian.'' Mr. Edness added that some people were worried because precise figures were not available on the number of people affected -- but insisted the estimates made were reckoned to be reasonably accurate.

And he reminded the House that when status was offered previously, only about 60 percent of those eligible actually applied.

Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Alec Scott quoted PLP manifestos dating back years to back up his claim a Green Card was originally a PLP idea.

Mr. Edness said that the Working Resident Card -- a Bermudian variant of the US system -- could eventually lead to full status.

He said: "I don't know if it's going to be just a Green Card ...what needs to be explained is that the Green Card concept does far more than the Opposition has said.

"If we give a person a Green Card which gives them permission to stay indefinitely, the time comes when we do have to consider giving them status.'' Mr. Edness stressed that no final decisions had been made and none would be until all opinion -- including that of the House of Assembly -- had been considered.

Presenting the Green Paper, Mr. Edness said that "the great majority'' of non-Bermudians had asked for status grants.

But he pointed out that the main concerns quoted -- job security, retirement rights on the Island, their children's futures, property-owning rights and families' right to inherit -- could be addressed short of status.

He said: "A combination of options other than Bermudian status would not only satisfy the most pressing needs of long-term residents but go a long way to reassuring Bermudians that their birth right was being protected for themselves and their children.'' Mr. Scott said that, according to Government figures, around 500 young people were estimated to be eligible for Bermuda status on turning 18 years.

Report from House: Page 4