The UK Government should allow Bermudians to accept UK citizenship -- as well as reject it, Premier Jennifer Smith said yesterday.

But Opposition leader Pamela Gordon said she was "shocked'' at the lack of public consultation on the UK Government's White Paper rewrite of relations between the UK and its colonies, released in March.

And she slammed Government for taking months to come up with only a minor point in the full UK citizenship offer.

She said: "The Government has been pursuing a mushroom policy -- keeping us in the dark for as long as possible.'' Ms Smith said the White Paper said Britain would pass legislation "automatically'' making the current citizens of Overseas Territories UK citizens instead, with an option to reject.

But she added: "There must be some way of indicating the decision to accept the offer of citizenship, but the paper only indicates the method by which a person can reject the offer.'' Ms Smith added, however, that the UK Foreign Office had said any new law giving full UK rights could include "the right to either take up, or reject, the offer.'' She said: "Government has made it clear that, while they acknowledge the fact that the offer of citizenship is being made to individual citizens, they believe it is important that citizens be given the right to accept, or reject, the offer.'' Ms Smith added that Cabinet Ministers had now been tasked with examining various aspects of the UK offer and that "the final step'' would be a House of Assembly debate on the White Paper.

But Ms Gordon said: "At this late stage, Government is still spinning its wheels -- there's a lot of talk but very little action here.'' And she added that Government should set up a special hotline to deal with commonly-asked questions about the citizenship offer -- and compile a Q & A list dealing with Bermudian queries on the new deal.

Ms Gordon said people feared tax changes more in line with the UK system and worried whether their children would be eligible for call-up to the UK armed forces if conscription was reintroduced in Britain.

She added: "Many of the questions being asked have simple answers -- but people aren't being told what all this is about.

"They should have created an information hotline to keep Bermudians better informed and less anxious about the process.

"They have left out the people -- they should be canvassing the people of this Country. That was one of the reasons I supported a referendum on the White Paper.'' The statement by Ms Smith marked an end to more than two months of Government silence on the White Paper.

She made a brief statement on the day after the massive document was released in London -- and promised a fuller response later.

Government spokespeople could not be contacted for further comment on why the accept/reject option is considered so important.

But Ms Gordon said: "It seems as though the Government's focus is somewhat suspect. The option here is for people who are interested and eligible to be able to go ahead and and get citizenship.'' IMMIGRATION IMM