Date: Sat 18-Nov-2000

MPs clash over Green Paper -- UBP: Decision has already been made on

long-term residents By Stephen Breen

A story in Saturday's newspaper on the Green Paper on long term residents'

incorrectly reported that Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley

claimed that only two panelists at the public meetings were United Bermuda Party members. It should have read that four or five panelists were supporters of the UBP, and only two panelists were long term residents. And in a statement by the Shadow Home Affairs spokesman claiming that he believed the meetings had been a ``charade'', we quoted Mr. Dunkley as saying: ``That is not my opinion''. It should have continued on to say: ``That is a fact.''

Government's public consultations on the future of long-term residents was a ``charade'' because the decision has already been made, Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley claimed yesterday. But this was denied by Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox, who said Government had been extremely diligent and listened to as many people as possible to ensure the Island makes the right decision. Mr. Dunkley claimed 16 of the 23 panelists at the four public meetings were Progressive Labour Party supporters, while only two were United Bermuda Party members.

But Ms Cox said only two speakers were PLP members, and she had not spoon-fed any of the contributors. Indeed, she had no idea what any of them were going to say. As MPs debated Government's Green Paper on long-term residents yesterday, Mr. Dunkley told the House of Assembly: ``The whole road show was a charade because the decision had already been made. That is not my opinion. ``One only needs to refer to the PLP election manifesto and the PLP discussion paper tabled on August 18. ``Why has the Government wasted so much time and money to orchestrate the roadshow charade? No amount of input from anyone would have affected Government's position.

``Why even have the debate today? Is it to cast an air that due process, communication and consultation were followed?'' Mr. Dunkley said according to the 1991 census figures, 1,400 people are eligible for the working residents' certificate, set up by the UBP in 1998. Only 551 (40 percent) had applied, and it could be assumed the same would apply for status. As 77 percent of the 551 who applied are over the age of 50, past their child-rearing years, giving them status would not add to the population.

Ms Cox told MPs that the Green Paper was not a ``take it or leave it'' document and that Government wanted to explore all issues relating to long-term residents. She added: ``The panelists represented a diversity of views and were independent thinkers. ``They were not prepped and spoon-fed by me. I had no idea in advance what people were going to say.'' Ms Cox said she made no apology about asserting that the rights of Bermudians came first.