What happened to the Bahamas could happen to Bermuda, he said. "I saw the arrogance; then I saw the death. I don't want that to happen here, Mr.

Speaker. That's why we've got to work together.'' The PLP has "never been tested,'' and that makes offshore companies edgy, he said. "These people have enormous investments at risk, and they're not going to sit back and run the risk.'' Sir John attacked Mr. Simmons for a remark which he described as "cute.'' Sir John said: "Mr. Simmons said: `Those people belonging to the UBP are a bunch of coloureds.' "In other words if you are black you belong to the PLP and if you are coloured you belong to the UBP. It's an insult to my race. If we said anything about that they would be all over us.'' Sir John said he would work in partnership with all the members of his party, no matter what colour, to deal with institutional racism.

On the Airport, Sir John took a swipe at Opposition taunts about how the cost of improvements had swelled.

He said the project had got bigger than intended, and the public knew the money was being well spent.

To the PLP he scoffed: "You just don't understand.'' He claimed the Opposition was now trying to "play the same game'' about costs with the Tynes Bay Incinerator project.

Sir John said he hoped, after the debate was over, Bermudians would make the right choice for the guardians of the Country's future.

Taking a dig at Mr. Simmons, he said the BIU leader was always harping on about the workers.

But the success of the Country depended on a balance between capital, management, and labour.

"It takes capital, management and labour to produce. It's that balance that is so necessary in our society.

"This rabid approach that it's labour producing everything is wrong.'' Sir John said he always congratulated labour, and accepted its contribution to the Country.

But the UBP was not a party of polarisation, but of partnership.

Sir John used the open door metaphor to describe the UBP, saying it welcomed people and offered them the chance to improve their lives.

The Bermuda College was an example, where scholarships provided new opportunities.

The UBP was also intent on removing the last vestiges of institutionalised racism.

Unlike the PLP, it did not want to reopen the scars of the past.

"We don't want to capitalise on yesterday, we want to capitalise on tomorrow.'' Sir John said the UBP was the party capable of facing the challenges of the future -- the PLP had not a clue. The PLP would be fatally slow off the mark if it ever formed the Government.

Near the end of Sir John's speech, NLP leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell , the instigator of the debate on the economy, left the Chamber.

Amid cries of "shame, shame, shame'' from the PLP benches, Mr. Darrell briefly chatted with the Speaker, before waving and leaving.

As he left, Sir John said: "I have seen the motion mover leave the Chamber.

We have all been here for many hours.

"I believe this debate has been good for the Country. I believe the Opposition came unprepared, and all they could do was waffle and make cheap political points.'' With the PLP barracking him, Sir John concluded: "I can always tell when something is wrong with the PLP, they become very noisy.'' At the motion to adjourn Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith got up to speak.

She began by criticising The Royal Gazette's coverage of the Clean Air Regulations, but was interrupted by UBP backbencher Mr. Stallard, who protested there wasn't a quorum.

Government had departed the Chamber, leaving only 13 MPs present, instead of the required 14.

Speaker the Hon. David Wilkinson adjourned the House when there was still no quorum after five minutes.

The House is set to reconvene on November 5.

Mr. Walter Roberts Mrs. Grace Bell The Hon. Sidney Stallard.