The Acting Leader of the Opposition says the Premier's handling of the Uighurs has only undermined Bermuda's ability to conduct its own affairs.

United Bermuda Party MP Trevor Moniz said Ewart Brown's decision to bring the four Guantánamo Bay detainees here had led to "a loss of trust in Bermuda" by the UK.

And he said the political fallout has backfired on Dr. Brown's aspirations to take the country to independence, as Britain has now tightened its grip on the Overseas Territory.

"It is deeply ironic that Dr. Brown's reckless foray over the Uighurs should result in Bermuda losing ground on its hard-earned ability to conduct relations with other countries," said Mr. Moniz.

"For the man who has made independence for Bermuda an overarching personal political goal, the Uighur controversy is a setback.

"The changes to the General Entrustment the rules by which the UK Government allows Bermuda to exercise a degree of autonomy in its international relations tightens the rules under which previous Bermuda Governments operated.

"Make no mistake, the changes to the General Entrustment reflect a loss of trust in Bermuda, at least as long as it is led by Dr. Brown.

"The changes reverse an historic trend that really began to take shape in the mid-1980s when Bermuda began exercising a more direct, more autonomous role in its relations with the outside world.

"Dr. Brown's actions in the Uighur case undermined that march toward diplomatic self-reliance and maturity. The tighter reporting rules set down last week by the UK Government are now part of his legacy as Premier.

"To those of us who were sympathetic to the plight of the Uighurs, we think it is important to recognise that Dr. Brown's actions regardless of his professed altruism was clearly the wrong way to go about helping them."

In June British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the General Entrustment was being reviewed due to the secrecy with which the Uighur Muslims were brought here. Due to Dr. Brown cutting out the UK and negotiating with the US directly to bring the four Guantánamo Bay detainees to the Island, the 1968 agreement was reassessed.

Government accepted the revised version on December 1.

The General Entrustment sets out what Bermuda's leaders can negotiate with other countries without UK oversight. The areas it covers include direct negotiations allowed on trade agreements and visits, tourism, plus cultural, scientific and technical agreements.

The review now means that Government has to report annually on all areas covered by the Entrustment.

The new agreement states: "The Government of Bermuda will provide annually a written report to the Government of the United Kingdom through the Governor summarising the activities which have taken place under the terms of this entrustment during the preceding year and make the Government of the United Kingdom aware, through the Governor, of any arrangement, memorandum of understanding or other similar instrument that they are negotiating with other counties or with institutions."

It says: "In view of the general responsibility of the Government of the United Kingdom for the external affairs of Bermuda, the Government of Bermuda will inform the Government of the United Kingdom, through the Governor, prior to the commencement of any formal negotiations delegated to the Government of Bermuda by paragraph two of this letter and, thereafter, will keep them informed of the progress of any such negotiations, and will consult the Government of the United Kingdom on the text of any proposed agreement or other instrument in good time before the agreement or other instrument is to be concluded."

In June the UBP asked Britain not to punish Bermuda for Dr. Brown's actions over the Uighurs by rescinding the 40-year-old agreement.

Opposition Leader Kim Swan said the review meant Dr. Brown's "unilateral" actions threatened to undo an arrangement which had enabled Bermuda's leaders to speak with foreign leaders on matters of mutual interest.

In October the Premier received a copy of the revised document during a visit to London. He said: "I welcome this strengthened and clearer statement of the relationship and mutual responsibilities of the governments of Bermuda and the UK.

"It's a framework within which we shall have little problem working."

During talks with Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant, Dr. Brown was told of the UK's "anger and profound disappointment at the way the Bermudan (sic) Government had acted".

Mr. Bryant told the Premier that the Uighurs affair "breached the terms of the Bermuda Constitution and the requirement to consult the UK Government on matters relating to foreign affairs and security".