West Indian Association President Trevor Fyfe said last night he was disappointed the Progressive Labour Party has delayed a promised debate on Caricom and that some Government MPs appear to be having doubts about associate membership.

A debate slated for last Friday in the House of Assembly on Bermuda taking associate membership will have to be rescheduled after Government did not move the motion.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that despite enthusiastic support in Cabinet, a number of back bench PLP MPs are still undecided, won't comment, or have reservations.

Some backbenchers said "internal" issues - thought to be concerns about Premier Jennifer Smith's leadership - had to be resolved before Caricom could be debated.

Mr. Fyfe, a strong supporter of Caricom, said last night: "I am disappointed that it has not been brought to a head, that they have not got the bull by the horns, and said `this is where we go'.

"But I'm not part of the political system. It seems they haven't discussed it between themselves. The thing has been debated adequately (in public meetings), so I'm not sure what to make of it.

"The Caricom general secretary (Edwin Carrington) came here and seemed to have been well received within the PLP.

"I think there is support for Caricom, but expediency in politics is something else.

"I hope it will be debated shortly as I'm a big supporter of Caribbean integration, but nothing in Bermuda disappoints me anymore.

"It's become part of the fabric of everything, is expediency. I just take it - there is nothing to gain or to lose. Bermuda will probably realise ten years down the road the benefits of this."

Southampton East MP Reginald Burrows said in yesterday's Royal Gazette: "There's a whole lot of things we need to straighten out in Bermuda before we involved with somebody else. I don't see waiting a year or two is going to hurt us in any way."Backbencher Wayne Perinchief, said he had still to make up his mind, but he feared Bermuda could get outmanoeuvred by other Caricom countries.

And Dale Butler said there was some apprehension among his constituents, although he would like to press ahead with associate membership.