HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) — The Bermuda government has offered a series of concessions over its controversial Pathways to Status initiative, but tensions surrounding immigration reform remained high as protests continued for a fourth day yesterday.

Tuesday night’s announcement came shortly before the House of Assembly session scheduled for yesterday, which was due to feature a debate on the legislation opposed by hundreds of protesters, was adjourned until tomorrow by Speaker of the House Randy Horton.

Premier Michael Dunkley announced he had contacted Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) president Chris Furbert to lay out the concessions.

“They are testing us. They are trying to play our children against their children, saying they want to make sure there is a pathway to status that everyone would agree with. We are not trying to deny them anything,” Furbert said.

Around 50 protesters were outside the House of Assembly by 7:00 am local time yesterday as a newspaper poll showed that more than half of registered voters approve Pathways to Status.

The concessions would include a three-month delay on implementation of the “15-year pathway” — allowing those who have lived in Bermuda for 15 years to apply for permanent residency — which Dunkley said had caused the most widespread concern. Foreigners who have lived here for 20 years would be able to apply for citizenship.

In the meantime, Dunkley said a working group would be established “comprising representatives from various stakeholders”.

The group would offer recommendations on this matter as well as a living wage and training requirements for Bermudians, unscrupulous business tactics that undermine Bermudian labour, and summer job opportunities for Bermudians via the international business sector.

However, Dunkley underlined his desire to shore up children and family pathway issues “in short order”.

He said that there was general agreement on both sides of the debate that immigration reform legislation needs to address children who are born in Bermuda or who arrived here at a young age, those who have remained on the island for 20-plus years and mixed-status families.

Dunkley also highlighted the government’s continued commitment to Pathways, as well as its belief that the Bill is in Bermuda’s best interest.

“Everything that we have done is aimed squarely at investing in our people and in job opportunities for Bermudians,” he said.

He also downplayed suggestions that the ruling One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) was hoping to bolster the island’s white populace in order to secure more votes.

“How new Bermudians may vote plays no part in our policymaking process,” Dunkley said.

“Notwithstanding this, the government would be committed to discussing questions pertaining to the timing of voting rights and implementation date of the 20-year status pathway.”

The premier criticised the protesters’ decision to physically block MPs from entering the House of Assembly on Monday by forming a human barricade, calling the move “simply unacceptable behaviour.

“This government is always willing to listen. We have always said that we take no issue with people expressing their democratic right to voice their opinions and have their views heard.

“But bolting the doors of the House posed a danger to everyone inside the buildings and the disruption also prevented the courts from being able to go about their business, with several trials having to be moved.”

Noting that the past few days had been “challenging” for the island, he added, “The discourse and the tensions regarding immigration reform have been distressing for many in Bermuda.

“The decisions we make as a government have always been taken with the best interests of Bermuda at heart. Yet, we recognise that if we are to achieve any progress, we must address this issue collaboratively, for the greater good of Bermuda and for our future generations,” he said.

Opposition Leader Marc Bean has described the announcement that the House would remain adjourned until Friday as most surprising and unusual.

“We can only hope that this is not a desperate attempt by the OBA to delay answering to the people of Bermuda,” he said.

However, the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), in a statement released just after midnight, made clear its objection to Dunkley’s “olive branch”, which was contingent on the family and children pathways being implemented nevertheless.

“The position of the PLP remains the same: that the OBA withdraw this bill and take a bipartisan, comprehensive approach to immigration reform,” Bean added.

There has yet to be word of the return to normal of essential services, such as buses and ferries, so residents are advised that nothing has changed in that regard since Monday.

The newspaper poll showed more than half of registered voters support Pathways to Status with just over a quarter against.

The legislation was approved by 56 per cent of people, with 29 per cent against it. The remaining 15 per cent were unsure.

Whites and OBA supporters overwhelmingly gave their backing to the bill, with opinions more evenly split among blacks and opposition PLP supporters.

Among whites, support came from 90 per cent, with four per cent against and six per cent unsure.

Among majority blacks, 38 per cent were in favour, 42 per cent opposed and 20 per cent said they didn’t know.

Similarly, 90 per cent of OBA voters said they were in favour of the bill, with four per cent opposing and five per cent unsure.

Of PLP voters, 25 per cent said they were in favour, 56 per cent opposed and 18 per cent were not sure.

The telephone poll of 400 Bermuda voters was conducted between March 7 and March 14, and has a margin of error of plus or minus five per cent.