Government is running scared over Independence while some MPs may even have switched sides on the issue according to axed Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson.

And Mr. Hodgson also slammed Government for handling constitutional change in an autocratic manner and that seats in the House of Assembly should be increased rather than cut as the Government plans.

Mr. Hodgson told The Royal Gazette : "I think there were a couple of issues in which we believed where there was so much opposition it has put the fear of God into us -- so much so that we are not even sure we stand for Independence anymore.

"Nobody has come out against Independence but I suspect some of the leadership have reached the point where they really don't want it.'' Mr. Hodgson said some in the Government had got "the comprador mentality'' which meant they were co-operating with turning their own country into a client state for foreign interests.

"The real issue is that we are afraid to broach it, we are afraid to talk about it,'' he said.

"This fear about talking about Independence makes me wonder whether it's really a matter of strategy or a matter of policy.

"It's the fear that people might not back it. When we were running for the election we were trying to get votes so you don't touch subjects that are going to invite opposition.

"Certainly I think we should be forming committees, we should be having discussions. Independence should be a live issue.

"And at least I don't think discussion of it should be shot down as it has been.'' "I think Independence will come. It will fall like a plumb that's ripe, but for me the big issue is good governance.'' He said the current Government had repeated the mistakes of the previous Government by sidelining the Opposition.

"During my life in politics one of the things I always found very painful was the contempt shown for the Opposition by the Government.

"But one of the shameful things about our Government is that we show the same kind of contempt for the Opposition and we were fighting to change that kind of thing.

"There's an attitude, we don't listen, I would say in the two years we have been together I don't think the Opposition has succeeded in amending very much of anything.

"Now surely all of their ideas couldn't have been so bad?'' "But it's the way the system works, we have a tradition -- first it was racism, then it was politics.

"The first time I joined the PLP I was dismissed from my job so it really doesn't surprise me I was dismissed from Cabinet because that is the tradition we have established of not respecting one another.

"I believe in consultation, I believe in discussion. I am not concerned about getting to a decision. All the dictatorships are all about getting rid of dissent.

"Hitler got very efficient, Stalin was very efficient, on some grounds much progress. But so what? You don't murder millions of people on the basis you are getting to a decision.

Hodgson on the attack "So when you are talking about smaller committees and arriving at decisions quicker you are also talking about a deterioration in relationships.'' Government wants to get rid of twin-seat constituencies in favour of single seats but drew criticism for not having a referendum or a constitutional conference on the issue. It has also hinted that seat numbers will be cut from the present 40 MPs.

Asked if he would have gone about constitutional change the same way the Government has done Mr. Hodgson said: "Oh no, absolutely not''.

"I would have first of all had far more discussion within the party and far more discussion with the Opposition and had discussions with branches.

"There would have been substantive discussions.

"There is much to be said for treating your neighbour in the same way you would want to be treated.

"Until we as Bermudians develop a tolerance for one another then the system we use really doesn't matter that much.

"The idea of changing the Constitution with one party for it and the other party against it is not the way to go. There are certain fundamental issues which we should all be coming along with.

"I believe in having more people, in having elected parish councils and I believe in a larger rather than a smaller Parliament, more rather than fewer committees.

"The rush to a decision is not necessarily the most important thing.

"It's about respecting the essential dignity of others. I may be bigger than you and force you to go along with something and I can say I made a decision.

"But at the end where am I? It's relationships that are important.''