civil rights for gays.

Development and Opportunity Minister Terry Lister did not rule out including sexual orientation in the Human Rights Act if there was sufficient demand.

And his Shadow Minister, UBP MP Allan Marshall said it was "a question of whether there is a need to change the Act''.

Mr. Lister -- whose Ministry includes the Human Rights Commission -- said: "In any particular constituency, if they thought their position had not been advanced as it should be advanced, they can come and in and talk to the Ministry, but at this point that hasn't happened.'' And he added: "I, as a Minister, would certainly evaluate any points brought in to me.

"I'm open to various points of view and I can certainly be persuaded by any reasonable argument.'' Mr. Lister was speaking after the gay son of the late Dr. John Stubbs MP -- the man who piloted a controversial bill decriminalising gay sex through the House of Assembly in 1994 -- slammed attitudes to gays in Bermuda.

Michael Stubbs, who lives in New York, said he was "a political exile'' due to a hardline attitude towards gays on the Island.

He added gay Bermudians who came out faced problems in the workplace and in finding housing.

Mr. Stubbs spoke out after ex-Senator and Paget West MP Patricia Gordon Pamplin appeared to suggest the PLP Government should look at revoking the Stubbs Act.

AME churchman Leonard Santucci added fuel to the fire by warning that an offer of full British citizenship to the Overseas Territories would mean more liberal sex laws and would be an attack on the "moral fibre'' of Bermuda.

Mr. Lister admitted: "I personally haven't given this a lot of consideration because it hadn't been brought to my attention because I don't have a constituency which has said `Minister, we need to act'.'' And he added: "If we look at the Bermuda community, I don't think gays are discriminated against in the workplace -- if it really did happen in a big way, we would hear a voice.'' Part of the new deal from Britain on passports is a warning that the Territories would have to be up to speed on European-style human rights legislation -- including more legislated rights for gays.

And the UK warned if the OTs failed to comply on things like human rights issues and financial regulation, it could use the powers of the UK Parliament to enforce legislation.

Mr. Lister said Government would consider any reasonable requests on better laws from the UK -- but that Bermuda's record on gay rights was as good as many and better than most of the other Overseas Territories, especially the Caribbean ones.

He added: "We would be open to changes in the law happening -- however, I don't really believe we would go there, because I don't believe we're far off the mark.'' Bermuda is ahead of the UK on age grounds for consent to gay sex, set by the Stubbs bill at 16.

A recent bid to reduce the UK age of consent for gay men from the 1960s-set 21 to 16, the same as heterosexuals, saw a compromise age of 18 being set -- but it was defeated by the House of Lords.

The Lords, however, like the Bermudian Senate, can only block legislation which has passed the House of Commons for a year.

Britain, however, does have legislation designed to hammer discrimination against gays.

Mr. Lister added that he was "a bit disappointed'' that Bermuda's record on gay rights had been attacked following the publication of the White Paper.

He said: "When it came to that particular issue, the White Paper didn't call Bermuda's name.

"We dealt with the issue, it went through Parliament, MPs took an individual position and the law was changed.'' Mr. Marshall said that he had not been approached by constituents complaining about discrimination because they were gay.

But he promised to raise the issue of legal safeguards to prevent discrimination against gays in the UBP caucus tomorrow.

He added: "I would imagine if Mr. Stubbs has brought it up and there is support from the community for making any changes to the Human Rights Act, I think we'd have to take a look at it.

"If our laws are lacking in certain areas from a human rights point of view, it's something we have to consider.'' And he added: "If the British Government is leaning in this direction in its White Paper, it's something we're going to be faced with one way or another, either through the UK requiring it or us beginning to talk about it and debate it.'' Mr. Marshall said: "I think any type of discrimination should be dealt with from a human rights point of view, whether it's colour, creed or sexual orientation.'' But he asked whether Bermuda could eventually move in the direction of same-sex marriages and adoption for gay couples.