A petition to keep the Queen's birthday as a public holiday in Bermuda has attracted more than 1,900 signatures in just four days.

'Retention of the Queen's Birthday holiday in Bermuda' was launched on international website GoPetition on Friday, following a Government announcement to establish a 'National Heroes Day' in October but remove the holiday to mark the Queen's Birthday as from next year. The petition, which will be presented to Government, states: "We, the undersigned, call on the Government of Bermuda to retain the birthday of Her Majesty Elizabeth II as a public holiday, in its current form."

On the website, petition creator Cameron Hollis says: "Clearly, the removal of our sovereign's birthday as a public holiday is inexcusable. No discredit to Dame Lois; she was an integral part of securing equality for all parts of our population, facing adversity along most of the way. There are ways of honouring her that do not involve a blatant insult to her Majesty."

Mr. Hollis told The Royal Gazette yesterday afternoon: "It's still early days yet, with the petition only being created last Friday — 1,589 signatures as of (the time he spoke with the paper), though that's rising at about 20 or 30 an hour.

"This is a non-partisan petition and Facebook group. There was never any intent to attack Dame Lois Browne Evans' memory. The purpose of both the group and the petition is to get the Government to seriously reconsider the removal of the Queen's Birthday holiday.

"Locally this is a day where Bermudians choose to honour the Queen and our heritage as a British colony. To continue along that tack for decades and then remove the holiday from the calendar can only show a lack of respect and may be viewed as inflammatory by those who are proud of that heritage.

"Though we do not celebrate the Queen's Birthday on her actual birth date we observe it as most of the Commonwealth does. Until all ties with Britain are cut it is inexcusable to remove this holiday which has become a Bermudian tradition, looking beyond the insult to Her Majesty."

Mr. Hollis added: "I feel that Labour Day would have been a better choice. Most of the Island's heroes were involved in trade unionism or workers' rights at some point or another in their lives."

Government announced on Thursday that October 13, the first day of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf at the Mid Ocean Club, has been picked as National Heroes Day.

Dame Lois Browne Evans, the first female Opposition leader in the Commonwealth and Bermuda's first female barrister and black woman MP, will be the first person to be honoured.

Making the announcement, Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler said that as from next year, there will be no public holiday to mark the Queen's birthday in June — to offset the new public holiday. However, the Queen's Birthday Saturday parade will continue.

"I want to stress to the public, this year you get a holiday in June but there is no holiday next year in June," said Mr. Butler.

The Minister said the House of Assembly will have to make an amendment to the Public Holidays Act of 1947 when it reconvenes in May, in order to pave way for the changes.

Mr. Butler said the day was chosen following feedback from various stakeholders such as the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, the Bermuda Industrial Union, the Bermuda Union of Teachers, the Bermuda Public Services Union and the United Bermuda Party.

Governor Sir Richard Gozney, was also consulted. Sir Richard — the Queen's representative in Bermuda — told The Royal Gazette: "We were fully consulted, and agreed to the change."