Efforts to modernise the Bermuda Regiment would lead to less reliance on conscription, National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief says.Mr Perinchief dismissed criticism from anti-conscription campaigner Larry Marshall who described reforms announced this week as “nauseating hypocrisy”.“We’ve already made it clear that by 2013 we wish to have the Regiment engaged in the maritime remit with the police,” the Minister told The Royal Gazette.“This would involve hiring some Regiment people on a full-time basis. The long term strategy is to have a standing Regiment.”Reforms announced by Mr Perinchief on Monday include giving soldiers the option to elect for trial by Magistrate, and changing the fines structure to reflect number of days pay instead of specific amounts. Internal disciplinary procedures have also been revamped.The Minister said that the reforms would ensure a fairer system and bring the legislation in line with British law and the European Convention on Human Rights.But Mr Marshall dismissed the effort as akin to improving conditions for slaves under slavery.Mr Perinchief said that the slavery analogy was an “extreme example for something that really doesn’t apply”.Besides, he added, the reforms had addressed some of Mr Marshall’s concerns about practices in the Bermuda Regiment.The Minister added: “Even under conscription, he has the opportunity to be a conscientious objector. I still wonder why he did not take that avenue.”Mr Marshall founded the group Bermudians against the Draft which aims to see conscription into the Bermuda Regiment abolished.His two sons, Larry and Lamont Marshall along with Jamel Hardtman, applied to the Defence Exemption Tribunal for conscientious objector status early this year but the hearing ended with no determination made.Mr Marshall said then that he anticipated that they would go before the Defence Exemption Tribunal again and that the outcome would be favourable.Mr Perinchief also wondered whether BAD had any popular support.“They seem to be soldiering on by themselves,” he said.“They don’t seem to have enough support to make the Government change its mind. At the end of the day, most movements — if they are going to be successful — rally a lot of support.”Last year BAD called for an extra box labelled “none of the above” to be added to the general election ballot paper.Mr Marshall’s view is that since neither of Bermuda’s main political parties backs the campaign to end military conscription, young black men feel marginalised by the political process.The group hopes an extra box would allow those backing the campaign to participate in the democratic process, while at the same time signalling a lack of confidence in the available candidates.