The majority of Bermudians to believe that PRC holders should be granted Status, according to a recent poll.

Just one third of Bermudians — 33 percent — said they opposed PRC holders getting status, while 57 percent approved. A further nine percent said they did not know.

The telephone poll of 404 Bermudians, which was paid for by the Department of Immigration, was conducted between July 12 and 19 by Global Research & Strategy Group Ltd and also showed that the majority of voters said that PRC individuals should live in Bermuda, for an extended period before qualifying for status.

Twenty nine percent of respondents said PRC holders needed to be here for a minimum of ten to 19 years, 28 percent said they should live here for between 20 and 29 years, while 20 percent said they believed PRC holders should never get status.

Among the top reasons for saying PRCs should get status was that, ‘many have been contributing to Bermuda in a positive way for many years’. On the other side those against believed that the Island was ‘too small to give these individuals status’.

However, according to Rev Nicholas Tweed, fewer respondents would have given a positive answer if they had been aware of an “unintended loophole in legislation”.

“It is even more alarming that Minister Fahy, on behalf of the Government, has claimed that their decision [to withdraw the appeal] was in part based upon a poll that was conducted with a sample size of 404 Bermuda residents of which 230 people allegedly supported the granting of Bermuda status to PRC holders,” he said.

“If persons were polled on whether they agree with granting status that is one question, but if they were aware that the granting of Status was based upon an unintended loophole in legislation, would they have responded the same way?

“Or, if they were asked if the Government should close the loophole, what do you think the answer would have been?”

Bermuda Industrial Union president Chris Furbert also questioned why Government had been guided by a poll of 404 Bermudians, yet seemingly ignored demonstrations that had attracted thousands of supporters.

“You’re listening to a poll of 404 voters but you’re not listening to 3,000-plus voters who are telling you something,” Mr Furbert said.

“So I have some problems with the numbers that the Government and the Minister are putting together in respect to whether or not they’re listening to the people.”

Rev Tweed added: “When you compound that with the kind of paternal arrogance that says to the people ‘well we know you don’t like your medicine but just suck it up and take it’, that becomes very egregious in a country where people are already disillusioned and are losing confidence in Government.”