They are not for or against Independence, and they are not in any way affiliated with any political party - UBP or PLP.

They are not predominantly old or young, white or black, male or female. Few of them even knew each other before the end of last year.

In fact, the Bermudians for Referendum (BFR) have only two things in common: They are all Bermudian. And they all want a referendum.

A referendum - where registered voters vote directly, saying yes or no to a single issue - is the only true democratic way to decide an issue as important as Independence, members of the BFR said yesterday.

In contrast, a General Election - Premier Alex Scott's method of choice for deciding the issue - requires voters to vote for politicians or a political party for up to five years, they said.

Politicians then make decisions for the voters - and the voters must make the leap of faith that politicians will keep the promises they made to get elected. Once a political party has the majority in Parliament, BFR organiser Michael Marsh said, "there is very little the people in the street can do" to influence any decisions.

In a referendum, he explained, voters are empowered to make the decisions for themselves. For a country as divided on the issue of Independence as Bermuda is, BFR organiser Khalid Wasi added, that kind of empowerment is the only democratic way to go.

Other countries such as the Bahamas decided on Independence through a General Election, Mr. Wasi added - but Bermuda's situation is unique.

In the Bahamas, the majority of the population already wanted Independence, he said. The only decision left to be made, therefore, was which political party could best take the country down that road - a decision easily and fairly decided by a General Election.

In Bermuda, however, recent polls have showed that Bermudians are uncertain at best and against Independence at worst. For that reason, a referendum - one question, one voter, one vote - is the only way to decide whether or not Bermuda should also take that path, Mr. Wasi said.

The response the BFR have received to their petition has been overwhelming, organisers said. "It's so high it dazzles me," Mr. Marsh added.

The petition was started in the beginning of December, 2004. With numbers increasing daily it was difficult to pin down an exact number of names on the petition, but organisers estimated they could be half way to reaching their minimum goal of 20,000 signatures.

The idea of reaching every single registered voter in Bermuda is already taking root. While between 80 and 90 percent of those approached to sign the petition do so, there are still those few who are reluctant, organisers said.

One significant reason for any reluctance is a perception that the BFR is a white movement linked to the Opposition UBP, which has also called for a referendum to decide the issue of Independence.

While organisers welcomed any members of any political party who wanted to sign the petition, they maintained their complete independence from party politics - and race - on the Island. "We didn't want to become a lackey project to some political group," organiser Toni Daniels said.

Some have also equated signing the petition with voting no to Independence. The petition, however, "is not about the issue; it's about the process," Mr. Wasi said. Signing the BFR petition is not saying yes or no to Independence, but it is giving Bermudians the right to make that choice directly instead of hoping politicians will carry out their wishes, he said.

"This is not about going Independent or not," Mr. Marsh added. "Nobody knows the results of a referendum."

Fear is another large factor for the tiny group who refuse to sign the petition, organisers said. "Some people are afraid to cross the PLP line on that issue," Mr. Wasi explained. "Some think that is the way forward, and to call for any other way would be betraying the party."

"Government works for you," organiser Pat Ferguson added. "You don't work for Government. Government is your employee."

The more people learn about the differences between a referendum and a General Election, organiser Andrew Marsh added, "the more open they become to the idea of a referendum".

Though some have questioned whether or not the BFR are putting the cart before the horse, organisers explained they are gathering all the names they can now because they may not have time later. "We thought it was better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them," Ms Daniels explained.

With Government "really stepping things up" regarding Independence - including the formation of the Bermuda Independence Commission (BIC) - the group said they were simply reacting to Government's actions. If a snap election is called, Mr. Marsh said, they want to be prepared. "Government has been making a lot of noise."

Voters interested in signing the petition can find it at shops and restaurants around the Island. A Bermudians for Referendum website is due to come online sometime this week, while plans for an open forum within the next few weeks are being made.

The BFR can currently be reached at bfrnorthrock.bm.

Where you can sign the Bermudians for Referendum petition

Down to Earth health shop (Reid Street, Hamilton)

The Spot Restaurant (Burnaby Street, Hamilton)

Otto Wurz (Front Street, Hamilton)

Pulp & Circumstance Gifts (corner Queen and Reid Streets, Hamilton)

Mailboxes Unlimited (Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton; Church Street, Hamilton; and Lovers Lane, Paget)

Great Things (East Broadway, Hamilton)

Aberfeldy Nurseries (Pomander Road, Paget)

The Paraquet Restaurant (South Shore Road, Paget)

The Variety Store (Camp Hill Road, Southampton)

Sousa's Gardens (Corner Camp Hill and Middle Road, Southampton)

Somerset Country Squire (Mangrove Bay, Somerset)

Frog and Onion Pub (Dockyard)

Esso Tigermart (Collector's Hill, Devonshire; Crawl Hill, Hamilton Parish)

Terceira's Shell Service Gas Station (North Shore, Smiths)

Paradise Gift Shop (King's Square, St. George's)

St. George's Esso Service Station (St. George's)

Black Horse Tavern (St. David's)