Wayne Perinchief who claims it's time the issue took centre stage.

He said there was powerlessness and lack of direction in what the country did because of the constitutional quandary it found itself in. He said: "This country seems to be in a cycle like pingpong where Government institutes policy and it never gets carried out. I think there is disconnectiveness.'' He said it was time Government took over the internal and external security from the Governor. He told the Friday's House of Assembly: "We have very few places to go, very little latitude to grow.

"I listen to the signs and I hear the frustration of the people. I hear what they are saying and I hear this sense of powerlessness.

"I believe as a fledging government we haven't fully realised our power. We need to look towards nationhood. We have triggered all the elements of change.

The genie is out of the bottle and we can't put it back and we can't tinker further with the Constitution.'' He said unless support was drummed up now the PLP might not put the issue to the people at the polls as had previously been assumed.

He told The Royal Gazette : "We should start the debate now. The groundswell has to be there. I am trying to make people aware that unless they look for it, unless they understand it is something they should have they will just continue to hit a glass ceiling in trying to resolve many of the social problems which come up from feeling impotent. I think people feel impotent, that's why they don't try to affect change themselves. You look at the situation with long-term residents, regardless of what race colour or creed, they have indicated unequivocally they want citizenship, they want affiliation to Bermuda.

"That to me in itself is an indicator that they trust Bermuda, they believe in it, they want to be part of it. It should also be a catalyst for bringing these groups together, they want citizenship, the only way we can have unconditional Bermuda citizenship is if we have independence. That is a cohesive force. This way we would not be a Portuguese Bermudian, or an African Bermudian or a white Bermudian -- we would simply be Bermudian.'' He said the issue of British citizenship was a red herring.

"I would feel much more comfortable if citizens in this country were given Bermudian passports first. We have a confused identity, that's why young people reach out to Jamaica for Rastafarianism in one incidence.''