came clean yesterday on the cost of the campaign.

The budget for television, radio, and newspaper advertising is $124,110.12, Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill told The Royal Gazette in a prepared statement.

"This is, I believe, a modest price to pay to discharge our obligation to educate Bermudians, many of whom are not fond of reading long documents, on the contents of the (Independence) Green Paper and position papers,'' Mr. Dill said.

Last week, Mr. Dill refused to reveal the budget for the ads, saying that information would only distract attention away from Government's message.

Bermudians were entitled to know the figure, and would in due course, he said.

But he would not say when.

A Government source pegged the cost at just over $100,000 -- a figure Mr. Dill would neither confirm nor deny.

"There has been considerable public comment since, much of it from those who would like to believe we are spending more than is suitable in all the circumstances,'' Mr. Dill said.

He was not available to comment on why he decided to release the figure yesterday. But his statement was issued shortly after Cabinet's regular Tuesday meeting, at which the subject was likely raised.