Premier Dr. Ewart Brown has said that Independence is not on the front burner, but it is still on the stove.

Observers could be forgiven for thinking that the issue is being brought to a high boil after the plethora of recent statements about Bermuda's relationship with Britain, few of which were particularly favourable.

To be fair, this was partly because Dr. Brown had to head off to the Overseas Territories Consultative Conference within weeks of becoming Premier.

Nonetheless, since taking office, Dr. Brown has suggested that meetings between the Governor and himself should be alternated between Government House and the Cabinet Office, has joined with other Overseas Territories leaders in threatening to boycott future conferences if Governors are allowed to attend meetings, has also said the Governor should be held more accountable for the performance of the Police in Bermuda and has withdrawn Bermuda from having any role in the selection of future Governors.

On a slightly separate issue, Dr. Brown and Attorney General Sen. Philip Perinchief floated the idea with Junior Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman that Bermudians should continue to retain British citizenship after Independence. With disarming honesty, Dr. Brown admitted the primary motive of the idea was to weaken anti-Independence arguments. They said Lord Triesman did not dismiss the idea out of hand, but it was effectively squashed by Government House ? speaking on behalf of the British Government ? which said it was highly unlikely; the same statement that was given to the Bermuda Independence Commission, to which Sen. Perinchief was an advisor.

Regardless of whether Independence is on the stove, front burner or in the freezer, Dr. Brown has picked disagreements with the Governor and the UK with remarkable frequency. It may be that he wishes to establish his autonomy early and clearly, and it may also be that some of the disagreements are legitimate. But it is also more than possible that he is hoping to provoke an intemperate reaction from Government House that will somehow tilt the community towards Independence.

There will always be a natural tension between the Governor and the Government. Both are and should be jealous of their own responsibilities and powers, and there will inevitably be frustrations on both sides from time to time. A classic example of that is the Police, where the commissioner reports to the Governor, who is ultimately responsible for internal security, but the Government sets the budget and pays the bills.

However, the Governor also performs a dual function that can be to Bermuda's benefit, because he both transmits Britain's views on governance to Bermuda and acts as an advocate for Bermuda's interests to the British Government.

As a former top civil servant, Governor Sir John Vereker has a vast network of connections throughout the UK government ? and indeed around the world ? that could be of huge benefit to Bermuda. Thus, if relations between the Government and the Governor become embittered, Bermuda would lose an ally.

That would seem to be foolish even if the Island was headed for Independence ? and Sir John has never given an opinion one way or another on that question, except to say Britain would require a demonstrable majority in favour of Independence before agreeing to it, which is perfectly reasonable.

But the Bermuda people ? as opposed to the Government ? have said time after time that they are not interested in Independence, and one would think that Dr. Brown and his Cabinet would start listening.