Date: Fri 22-Sep-2000

We `have to live in the real world'

by PATRICIA CALNAN

UNLESS Bermuda deals with long-term residents on a humane basis, the country could possibly face a challenge in the world court, resulting in huge national embarrassment. Graeme Outerbridge who, as vice-chairman of the Natinal Liberal Party (NLP), formed part of last night's panel at the third, Government sponsored long-term residents meeting, told the Mid-Ocean News yesterday that his party had adopted a humanitarian approach to the question of status in the last three elections. ``People, especially the Portuguese, who came here as children or found their families being split up when people were sent back to the Azores, would be granted status. We would never have taken the action that the United Bermuda Party did when, some years ago, they decided to send so many people back.''

Urging Government to look at such ``special'' cases and grant status on a case by-case basis, Mr. Outerbridge said people with a negative view of this action usually base those views on economic rather then human rights reasons. ``We form part of a world which accepts many Bermudians as new nationals in their countries and many Bermudians, both black and white, hold dual citizenship, so we cannot look at this issue as a one-way street.'' Figures on how many Bermudians, over the last 20 years, have made their homes abroad is not known, he pointed out. ``But I'm sure that those Bermudians living abroad would be very aggrieved if they were suddenly told they had to leave tomorrow.''

It was essential, stated Mr. Outerbridge, that a process be devised whereby people could apply for nationality as they did in other countries. ``We have to live in the real world -- no other country operates like this. The situation could be further complicated if Bermudians are granted full citizenship in the European Union. ``So we have to think how we will handle thiss issue -- it cannot be on a arbitrary basis, and we can't handle it in isolation. ``And,'' he added, ``the way in which the Bermuda workforce is trained and given opportunities in our economy is a Bermuda challange -- not a guest-worker challenge.''