"When information which properly belongs to the public is systematically withheld by those in power, the people soon become Ignorant of their own affairs, distrustful of those who manage them, and eventually, Incapable of determining their own destinies.'' -- James W. Loewen, American author Sir John Swan has warned that the Island may be experiencing an "intellectual holocaust... where ideas and ideals are singed -- if not decimated -- by lack of expression of different views on subjects which affect us.'' This wake-up call, in itself, is one that any society might require from time to time, to further its development. But Sir John has failed to provide a time line. When did he first perceive this shifting of the Zeitgeist, manifested in what Sir John characterised as a negative, cocooning behaviour, where people no longer spoke out? Did it surface when the UBP fell from power? Was it present around the time of the Burger Debate? Or did Sir John identify the malaise during his failed bid for Independence in 1995 that led to his resignation as Premier? Perhaps in his heart of hearts, Sir John recognises that the roots of Bermuda's smouldering discontent, reach back many years.

In his book "Shackles of the Past'', former Permanent Secretary of Health and Social Services the late Mr. David Critchley described the menace of Bermudian well-being: "I believe the gaps in essential information and the failure to analyse what is available are largely due to fear, paternalism and confidentiality... Without such information, we do battle with whatever the cause of the day is -- child abuse, AIDS, drugs -- but nothing seems to change and often it appears to be getting worse.'' Mr. Critchley's book was published ten years ago. Recently retired from the Civil Service, he was finally able to cast off the imposed gag of General Orders, and alert Bermuda to a system that had the effect of `dumbing down' the population, even at times, with the best of intentions by its handlers.

In Bermuda, General Orders -- the code of conduct regulating the actions of civil servants -- is considered an internal document. The public is not allowed to see it. The denial of this information keeps the Public and Press guessing as to their level of clearance into what should, in a mature democracy, be the people's business.

Lacking a Freedom of Information Act, Bermudians have no legal right of access to crucial information and are often held in contempt. Reports, surveys, studies and appendices produced by Government, at the people's expense, are frequently not released, unreasonably delayed or otherwise allowed to languish.

Civil servants are placed under incredible pressure by General Orders. The simplest request for what to the reasoned mind, should be fairly routine information, can be met with: "Who are you? Who do you work for? Why are you asking this question?'' Apparently, being a concerned citizen is enough to raise suspicion. It is not uncommon for a question to be run through the gauntlet of the Civil Service, the Minister's office, to Cabinet and back, before determining if an answer is warranted. Our elected representatives may fear that that which appears to be an "innocent'' query initially, might be followed up by a question of the "gotcha'' variety.

Sometimes, when the citizenry becomes adamant over issues such as the environment, the "H'' word is trotted out. People have been dismissed as hysterical if their vision differs from Government's. The innate wisdom of the Bermudian people has been, and still is, underestimated, underutilised and undervalued.

It stands to reason that Sir John and the United Bermuda Party hierarchy are disoriented. Prior to the last election, their's was a rarefied world. Now access to information and power has been seriously curtailed -- no longer a finger in every pie. General Orders is now an impediment, and not a tool.

Ironically, the UBP's new role in Opposition may lead them closer to the people they ruled for decades but never quite understood.