Bermudians may yet find out what went on behind closed doors when Premier Alex Scott discussed Independence with the British Government in London last week.

As the Premier last night alluded to outer space piracy as yet another reason why Bermuda needs to have its own sovereignty to fight for its interests ? be they in orbit or closer to home ? it appears the mystery of his private meeting in the British capital will be cleared up in the coming few days.

A reluctance by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office to approve the release of a statement covering the meeting with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Lord David Triesman is now being looked into by Governor Sir John Vereker.

At the very least it is expected Mr. Scott will be given permission to tell Islanders his version of the discussion ? even if there is no official verification from London. The Premier had hoped to disclose some details from his private meeting when he returned from the UK following the Overseas Territories Consultative Council sessions, which were duly reported through news bulletins from Mr. Scott?s office.

But his intention to keep the public informed about the latest developments surrounding one of the hottest debates on the Island were blocked when the FCO declined to sanction a press release written by Director of Communications Beverle Lottimore.

Speaking at the start of the Progressive Labour Party conference last night, Mr. Scott said: ?When we met with (OTCC) Minister Bill Rammell in private session last year we put out a joint statement afterwards, so there is the practice to release a minute or statement.

?Since our first request has been less than successful we have asked the Governor to see if he can get an agreement with the Foreign Office.?

He said the Government has seen a note that appears to indicate the FCO will allow Mr. Scott?s office to release its version of the discussions, and he added that the FCO appeared to have been ?totally unprepared? to issue a statement relating to the meeting with Lord Triesman.

An earlier row sparked by a claim Mr. Scott had broken protocol by releasing bulletins about the OTCC sessions themselves was clarified when the FCO stated it was merely their own in-house policy not to release information about the sessions or comment on statements released by individual participants. The Premier said that in the three years he has been involved in the OTCC sessions he has witnessed a changing attitude by the UK towards the PLP Government?s suggestions on how it wishes to resolve the Independence issue.

?Self-determination is a very complex issue that requires full and extensive discussion by as many of our citizens as possible,? he said. ?This level of intensity of discussion only occurs during a General Election. An election provides a platform for arguing the positives and negatives of an issue by both sides.

?It gives time over the life of election campaigns for people to hear, question and then decide. A referendum without this process leaves many unanswered questions. However, a referendum would have its place after we know that the great majority of our residents fully understand the importance of self-determination in terms of self actualisation of all Bermudians.

?Once we achieve a fully informed electorate, it would be reasonable to consider a referendum on self-determination.?

In his speech to the 38th Annual Delegates Conference at the Devonshire Recreational Club, which was televised live, he gave another option: ?Should we elect to have both a General Election and a referendum, it would be a reasonable compromise to consider a referendum on self-determination being held at the same time as a General Election.

?However, Lord Triesman observed during the open forum of the OTCC a variation on this theme which would have us consider an election campaign, the legislative process and then a referendum at a later date.?

With so many possible options Mr. Scott stressed it was important for Bermudians to be made aware of all the facts, benefits and consequences before deciding whether to make or reject a decision on sovereignty.

That is why the PLP believes it right that the current process is not hurried simply to put the debate to rest.

Elaborating on the idea of a referendum and general election on the same day, he said Bermudians would cast their votes as normal for the politicians of their choice and then have a separate ballot question offering a yes or no for Bermudian independence. As he delivered an impressively robust speech, Mr. Scott was in no doubt where the Island?s future should be ? and that is joining the family of sovereign states.

?We sit here in the mid-Atlantic as an Overseas Territory hoping the UK Government is looking out for our interests on the world stage,? he said. ?Our latest experience with that status almost lost us the opportunity to negotiate ownership of our commercial satellite slot. This is an opportunity which could, by some estimates, equal approximately one year?s local budget.

?As an Overseas Territory, the UK Government did not look out for our interest and, instead, the Isle of Man, like a modern day pirate, came close to plundering our commercial opportunities in space.?

He said countries that had gained their own nationhood inspired their people to ?higher heights by challenging each citizen to achieve more, do more, be more. They have decided it is important to them as a people, to be all they can be as a nation.?