Date: Thu 07-Sep-2000

Green Paper public meeting

By Henry Adderley News Editor

Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox will be joined by four panelists and a moderator at tonight's first public meeting on the Green Paper on Bermuda's Long Term Residents.

Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon, Bermuda Industrial Union representative Colin Simmons, Progressive Labour Party member Rolf Commissiong and United Bermuda Party MP Trevor Moniz will join Ms Cox and moderator Arlene Brock at the meeting at 7.30 p.m. in the Harbour Room at the Number One Shed on Front Street.

``We have invited panelists who represent a range of community interests so that there can be full and open discussion on all the issues surrounding long term residents,'' said Ms Cox.

She continued: ``I am encouraging the public to attend this meeting so that the complete spectrum of views may be taken into consideration when Government makes final decisions on this highly sensitive immigration issue.'' The Minister will open the meeting with a presentation of the main features of The Green Paper that was tabled in the House of Assembly last month.

She will be supported by technical officers from the Department of Immigration and other resource persons.

The panelists will give short presentations and there will be a period for

questions and answers.

Tonight's meeting is the first in a series. Further meetings are planned for

each Thursday of the month in Somerset, St. George's and in Hamilton again.

Copies of the Green Paper are available at the Department of Immigration and

at Government Information Services.

Ms Cox noted: ``These meetings will provide an opportunity for long term

residents and Bermudians to express their views on the issues raised in the

Green Paper and on the subject of long term residents in general.

``The Green Paper sets out the issues and the options and we need full and open discussion so that policies developed will reflect input from all areas of the community.''