IN a strongly-worded analysis of the island's ongoing Independence campaign, the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs has charged Government with embarking on a policy of "Independence by any means" and accuses Premier Alex Scott of recklessly ignoring the wishes of more than 15,000 Bermudians calling for a referendum as the preferred vehicle to decide the question.

The COHA report went on to say the Premier has been "scrambling for more solid ground" for his Independence initiative after major factual flaws were found in the Bermuda Independence Commission's final report on the subject.

"Bermudian Premier Alex Scott, of the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), has declared 2006 as the year for an Independence dialogue; however, in reality, this announcement simply marks an extension of his unremitting attempts to engineer a majority in favour of ridding the island of 397 years of British rule," reads the report.

"As the new year commenced, the case for Bermudian Independence has failed to attract a tidal wave of public backing. To Scott's dismay, this year has witnessed the successful mobilisation of public support in favour of staging a referendum, which counters his goals for the process, and dampens his prospect for victory.

"As of now, Scott appears set on keeping the issue open, but simmering on the back burner, waiting for the mathematically precise moment when the island's sentiment on the issue of Independence shifts, and the numbers begin to come up in his favour.

"While the Council on Hemispheric Affairs historically has supported every Independence campaign in its purview where a majority of the people have called for Independence, COHA, however, has taken the opposite position on Bermuda's Independence, and has found that there are a number of disconcerting aspects to Premier Scott's driving quest to achieve it pretty much by any means.

"There is no doubt that in a democracy, elections should be an occasion for free and open dialogue regarding issues that profoundly affect the fate of a populace. However, any such conversation must be accompanied by sufficient information and sound analysis, along with a detailed plan concerning how it will be achieved, rather than the incomplete and tainted proceedings that are being witnessed in Bermuda.

COHA said Government needed to demonstrate a commitment to resolve the issue once and for all.

"Advocates of Independence must come up with decisive arguments proving that Independence will overwhelmingly benefit the nation and its citizenry, or must, in good conscience, surrender their fight."

COHA's full report is available at its web site www.coha.org