What started off as the official hand-over of the Bermudians for Referendum petition yesterday turned into a full-blown debate on the steps of Cabinet when the Premier said ?folks signed it and didn?t even know what they were signing?.

A group of about 30 members of the Bermudians for a Referendum (BFR) gathered at Cabinet at lunchtime to hand over the petition which had been signed by 35 percent of the electorate between November 15, 2004 and June 15 this year.

Premier Alex Scott?s comment was met by grumbling in the crowd and from organiser Michael Marsh, who was quick to point out that people who signed the petition knew exactly what they were signing.

The petition states: ?I am a registered voter in Bermuda and I believe that the issue of Independence for Bermuda should be decided by way of a referendum and not by a General Election.?

The Premier explained that he was referring to a statement in the press about two weeks ago that about 3,227 signatures could not be confirmed as registered voters due to duplication, eligibility and the use of nicknames instead of registered names.

Mr. Scott said the global trend had been to decide on the matter of independence by means of a General Election.

?But that does not mean Bermuda has to do it that way,? he said, adding that he was ?looking for Bermudians opinion on how we, once we get this information, make the decision here in Bermuda?.

Mr. Scott added: ?That?s what this process is about ? everyone having their will.?

Mr. Marsh said the Premier was ?trying to slap him and the BFR group in the face? by saying that people did not know what they were signing and he was very disappointed that the Premier would make such a comment.

He said they had given enormous credibility to what they had done to ensure the honesty of each signature as a bona fide registered voter and the Premier would see that if he looked at the petition.

?We?ve eliminated those who have tried to sabotage our group and we?ve eliminated false names as well as duplication,? he said.

Mr. Marsh added that if the Premier came back and said he would not hold a referendum unless he had 15,000 signatures, then the group would go out and get the additional signatures.

But he added that the group wanted to know from the Premier what it would take to have a referendum.

?Does it take 100 percent of the entire population to convince Mr. Scott and even then would he be convinced? Apparently not from his words today,? he said.

Mr. Marsh said most of the signatories had asked the group to push for an early decision, as the uncertainty that prevailed over the Island was not ?pleasant in view of the exempted company?s position? and it was time that this uncertainty was cleared up.

?Are we, or are we not going to have a referendum?? he asked, adding that the sooner a referendum was held on the issue of independence the better, as Bermudians would be happy to express their view ? yes or no to independence.

Meanwhile BFR member, Khalid Wasi told the Premier that the petition was ?not an attack? on him, or the Government, nor was it an attack on the issue of independence.

?It is a defence for what many Bermudians believe to be a right that they have experienced,? he said.

Mr. Wasi referred to the referendum on the issue of independence in 1995.

?We feel that to be deprived of that right from now or any time forward represents a diminishment of our rights.

?We believe and the history of the world will support the self evident truth that the inalienable mandate for the sovereignty of any country is and for ever should be the manifest will and consent of the people,? he said.