June 29, 2012Dear Sir,As there is some talk of a referendum on the all-important subject of independence, it is very important that Bermudians are aware of the disadvantages.This legal document says it all: “Currently citizens of Britain’s overseas territories, including Bermuda, are entitled to British citizenship. The British Overseas Territories Bill, passed in February 2002, provides automatic acquisition of British citizenship, including automatic transmission of citizenship to their children; the right of abode, including the right to live and work in the UK and the European Union (EU); the right not to exercise or to formally renounce British citizenship; and the right to use the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) channel at the airport. The UK has indicated that citizens of an independent Bermuda would no longer be automatically entitled to British citizenship and the EU benefits that accrue to it by this method.“There are no conditions attached to the grant of British citizenship to the overseas territories, a fact of particular importance to Bermuda where the issue of independence is being debated. A 1999 UK government White Paper states: “The new grant of British citizenship will not be a barrier, therefore, to those Overseas Territories choosing to become independent of Britain. Our Overseas Territories are British for as long as they wish to remain British. Britain has willingly granted independence where it has been requested; and we will continue to do so where this is an option.“Those who hold EU citizenship are not that same as those who only hold EU residency. A person can only become an EU citizen through birth, marriage, long-term residency and family relations. Only those with EU citizenship are allowed to hold an EU passport. Meanwhile, a person with residency holds foreign citizenship, but has a legal right to live and work in an EU country. However, the rules and regulations regarding a foreigners’ right to reside in an EU state depends on the nation.”Bermudians since May 21, 2002 can get full British/EC passports but Bermuda does not come under EC laws); can live and work in UK and any EC country; buy any property they can afford; can register there to vote immediately and can do so in any UK or EC election; and if they physically live in the UK instead of returning to Bermuda on holiday, can get internal UK educational fees and more.But Britons and European Economic Community (EEC) citizens do not have any of the same rights in Bermuda to live, be domiciled, be employed and retire here as they do in the United Kingdom or EEC. For those who want to work in Bermuda, Work Permits apply just as much in every way to Britons and Europeans as to Philippine nationals or Mongolians. Britons who are not also Bermudians have none of the rights that Bermudians in the UK now have if they apply for UK passports. It was the UK Government and presumably the EEC too that approved quite recently that Bermudians could have, on application, a UK passport and be treated as full UK nationals in every other way, but that Britons in Bermuda who are not also Bermudian would not have reciprocal rights.E RABENPaget