By Magnus Henagulph Bermudians last night packed out a public meeting to urge Government not to give long-term residents status.

At the second public meeting on the Island to discuss the Government's Green Paper on long-term residency, it was standing room only at the cruise ship terminal in St. George's as hundreds of locals turned out to vent their opinion.

If the Bermudians did not outnumber the long-term residents at the meeting, they certainly out-voiced them. Tempers ran high.

John Taylor, of Hamilton Parish, said he was speaking on behalf of the people in his parish when he said: "No status, no status, no status. None. Not for a 100 years, not for a thousand years. Never. No status.'' Sitting on last night's panel were Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox, Opposition MP Michael Dunkley, Dr. Eva Hodgson, and long-term residents Eddie DeMello and Foster Burke.

Long-term residents on the Island, particularly members of the Portuguese community, claim they should be given status after spending years here, often raising children on the Island and contributing to business in Bermuda.

They claim the Government's current Green Paper still does not offer them anything concrete.

They said after spending so much time on the Island, Government should reward them by giving them the same rights as Bermudians.

Mr. DeMello said: "They (Government) keep re-hashing the same old thing.

"This is a problem that should have been resolved years ago. Some are capable of solving the problem, others pussyfoot around it.'' Bermudians said last night they were upset by the apparent lack of respect shown by long-term residents and the fact that they left fewer jobs.

They ranted and raved about Bermuda's history of slavery and said Government should be reminded about who originally built the Island.

They accused people from overseas of doing charity work, purely to assist them to get status.

Ms Cox listed many definitions of what it is to be a Bermudian.

She said: "Bermuda prides itself on its democratic principles and on being a society that is predicated on the rule of law and the rule of constitutionality.

"Therefore, we cannot shirk our international responsibilities and duties towards those who have chosen to make Bermuda their home.