The Chamber of Commerce fears Government has already made up its mind to join Caricom and it believes there should be a vote on the issue, a public meeting on the subject heard last night.

But Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said this continuing distrust of Government by the business community showed they had not accepted the reality of the Progressive Labour Party's election win.

Chamber President Charles Gosling said the Chamber believed Government should pursue the aims of Caricom, but without the inclusion of a single market and the free flow of labour - which Government has said it will opt out of if Bermuda goes for Associate membership - there seemed little point in joining.

Caricom had been compared to the European Union but nations there had been given a referendum on joining or on major changes, he told the meeting at St. Paul's AME Church Hall.

“We believe joining any organisation where our rights may be affected, we deserve the respect of being able to use our vote on the issue,” he said.

“We fear that the process is a fait accompli, but we would hope that in the spirit of the Premier's appeal for unity through respect, that the overall objectives of the Caricom committee can be achieved but through the means of other closer links with the US, Canada, and if need be, Europe.”

Dr. Brown, the main Government speaker on the panel, said the “fait accompli” quotes had taken off a “scab to allow a social pus to drain out”.

“When black people in this country were treated in such a manner by an electoral process, unfairly by anyone's judgment, we never heard the black people say they are not going to participate because it is a fait accompli.

“We struggled and took a lot of stuff on the chin and struggled and struggled so we could have a government that was separate from business.

“Now that is in place, there is a reaction from some that indicates they are truly saddened by this and the reality that the government is not just a voice of business.”

Dr. Brown added: “Some people are having a difficulty adjusting to that and have problems because Government takes a leadership position.

“We are not a Government that reacts to consensus all the time. We like to take a lead and form consensus.”

He said history would show there are far more town hall meetings in Bermuda now than ever before.

“Soon the debate about fait accompli is not going to entertained, and the intelligent decision is to assume the intelligence of the Government.”

Dr. Brown added that the Chamber only looked at economic issues. “Many of us are multidimensional and we can't just go and have our hand in the pocket, we tend to shake the fellow's hand as well.”

He said for many black people, Caricom was a “social glue” that could build together people who had been torn apart by slavery.

There was a good mix of views for and against joining Caricom. One speaker Winfield Simpson, said unless Bermudians who have long links to the Island - a unique mix of Europeans, Africans and West Indians - were protected, there was a risk of “genocide” of these “indigenous” Bermudians.

Eugene Stovell said Bermuda could benefit from the development of Caribbean agriculture, but Muriel Archer feared the issue, as with the town hall meetings over the Boundaries Commission, was a fait accompli.

PLP MP Ottiwell Simmons said Government should be respected when it said the matter not been decided and that it was seeking a consensus on what to do.

Hank Fubler pointed to Wednesday's Jamaica Gleaner newspaper showing a lot of criticism about Caricom by regional leaders who claimed it didn't have a sense of direction.

He said with the United States trying to shut US companies coming to Bermuda, the Island should hold on to what is has now.

Trevor Fyfe, the chairman if the West Indian Association, said the $98,000 a year it would cost to join Caricom - the price of three cars in Bermuda - was well worth it.

He said any member could opt out of parts of Caricom - such as the single market or currency - which were against its interests, because the organisation is voluntary, and there could be great opportunities for the Island becoming part of the University of the West Indies, with the insurance and marine biology departments residing in Bermuda.

The Island could also be the financial centre of the region with a Caribbean Stock Exchange based here.

Another speaker said it was time to deal with the problems of Bermudians who had no homes, before spending money outside the Island on other organisations.

Angus Lynn said Bermuda didn't need to join Caricom to set up a regional stock exchange, and the $98,000 membership would be more than any discount the Island could get to send Bermudian students to the University of the West Indies.

“It would be using taxpayers' money to spend it outside of Bermuda, and in terms of return, I don't see any return,” he said.