It is two months past the December 8 deadline but the majority of Bermuda's politicians have now submitted their forms for the country's first Register of Members' Interests.

Forty-five of Bermuda's 51 parliamentarians and senators have submitted their forms to the Clerk of the Legislature, Muriel Roach. That leaves only six politicians yet to comply -- three from each political party.

PLP MPs Walter Lister, El James and Stanley Morton have yet to submit their forms and their numbers are matched by MP David Dodwell and Senators Maxwell Burgess and Mark Pettingill of the UBP.

Parliament agreed to create the register in November of last year which asks politicians to disclose their employment, directorships, properties, shareholdings, sponsorships, overseas trips taken and gifts received from within Bermuda or overseas.

Renegade UBP MP Trevor Moniz had been working to have the register introduced for six years. "I'm happy people are getting them in, albeit in a tardy fashion,'' he told the Royal Gazette last night. Mr. Moniz said that he had not examined the forms submitted yet but that over the next few weeks they will be looked over for omissions or lack of detail. "I noticed some people omitted certain things, for example, they might indicate that they have an interest in property in a certain parish, but not the address which, it's clearly stated, they should list,'' he said.

But Mr. Moniz said the process was not intended to be adversarial and if members had questions about whether something should be included, they could put them to Mrs. Roach, in confidence, for clarification.

Most MPs register their interests Any changes to members' interests are expected to be submitted within one month of the change as well so the register will not be a static or yearly document.

Mrs. Roach said that the forms were trickling in either in batches or individually and that she had received three just yesterday.

Premier Jennifer Smith had little to report other than one overseas trip. The Premier indicated that she holds no directorships, share holdings valued over $50,000 or other paid employment, owns no property and has not accepted any gifts of over $500 value either locally or overseas.

She indicated that she had accepted one overseas trip, underlining the passage "that was not wholly borne by yourself or out of public funds'' in the question. The September 6-10 trip she listed was to Ireland and paid for by XL Capital Limited.

Right-hand man Col. David Burch's form was a near identical to the Premier's, also indicating the Ireland trip with a similar underlined passage, although he listed his position as Chief of Staff under the paid employment section.

Tourism Minister David Allen had nothing at all to report although he did omit to answer whether he had received any gifts of over $500 value or material advantage of greater than half a percent of his salary "from any company, organisation or person in Bermuda which in any way relates to your membership of the legislature''. That question was merely left blank.

None of the 27 new submissions since the register was last reported on can claim as many directorships as the 68 listed (in an appendix) by UBP MP Gary Pitman -- the majority of these were Chevron subsidiaries.

Both Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb and Senator Michael Scott are directors of Elan Pharmaceuticals while the UBP's John Barritt, Michael Dunkley, Grant Gibbons and Allan Marshall as well as independent senator Idwal Hughes and Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox all hold shares in the Bank of Bermuda valued over $50,000.

Mr. Dunkley also holds over $50,000 worth of shares in the Bank of Butterfield while the PLP's Delaey Robinson is a director of Bermuda Commercial Bank and Cal Smith manages the BIU Credit Union.

Twenty-five of those who've submitted forms thus far own land other than that used for their personal or family residence including Opposition Leader Pam Gordon who rents residential property and Attorney General Dame Lois Browne-Evans who owns the Clayhouse Inn building in Devonshire.

Of the six politicians yet to submit their forms as Parliament reconvenes today, only UBP Senator Maxwell Burgess could be reached for comment last night.

Despite having earlier expressed opposition to the register, Mr. Burgess said that he intended to comply, but has been overseas.

PLP: Walter Lister PLP: El James PLP: Stanley Morton UBP: Mark Pettingill UBP: Maxwell Burgess UBP: David Dodwell