in Bermuda's relationship with Britain with the arrival of the leaders of the Caribbean dependent territories for pre-conference meetings.

The aim of the meeting is to try and hammer out some areas of agreement on what concessions the dependent territories should seek when they go to London next month.

Although there will be areas where the needs of the Caribbean territories will differ from Bermuda's, there should be enough common ground for the territories to present a relatively united front in London.

That will be a concrete achievement for Ms Gordon, who initiated the meetings and has an opportunity through this conference to establish herself as a leader of the Country.

In the same vein, the recent political squabbling over whether the Government did enough to incorporate the Opposition's opinions and whether the PLP should have had a role in this week's meetings should be put aside in the interests of unity. Bermuda will not benefit if the two parties go to London with different purposes.

There is no need for that to happen, because on the key issues, they agree: both want Bermudians to have the right to work and reside in Britain without reciprocity and neither is actively seeking Independence.

A person would have to be blind not to see the benefits of rights of residence in Britain, which could well carry over to the rest of the European Union.

There should be no question that the chance for Bermudians to live and work in Britain -- and possibly in the rest of the European Union -- would benefit the Island as a whole in terms of broadening the experiences of all who take advantage of the opportunity. It might also offset the pervasive influence of North America and help to maintain the cultural diversity that makes Bermuda unique.

While the cost to Britain of making this concession would be minute given the combined populations of the remaining territories, Bermuda should be prepared to give something in return, although this should not be reciprocity.

Ms Gordon and Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness will likely make use of the arguments that former Governor Lord Waddington put forward during a House of Lords debate last June.

In that debate, he noted that it was in Britain's interest to ensure that Bermuda remained stable and successful.

"Bermuda has become a great international business centre, with insurance in the lead,'' he said. "The links with the London insurance market are growing ever stronger and Britain has a clear interest in the continued expansion of that market and its development in a stable environment.'' The same argument cane be made over a much broader area of the economy: a stable Bermuda, with British customers and British investment, will help both sides.

Lord Waddington went on to say: "By giving Bermudians the right to live and work in Britain, we shall be giving them a right which is of course afforded already to the Falkland Islanders and Gibraltarians. ...that step would allow Bermudians, and young black Bermudians in particular, who have business ambitions to gain experience in a wider environment than Bermuda and fit themselves for senior management. Above all, it would cement the mutually advantageous relationship to which I have referred.'' If agreement can be reached this week on ways to show Britain that it is in its own interest to have politically stable and economically vibrant dependent territories, then everyone can gain something in London next month.