the drum for Bermuda over the US base.

He made the announcement after blasting the Premier's own attempts to whip up overseas support on the issue.

Mr. Wade mocked the Hon. Sir John Swan's trips to America and Brussels as electioneering.

And he accused Government of being slow off the mark in fighting for the Base.

"This cannot be in Bermuda's national interest. Now is not the time for a panicked knee-jerk reaction, but a calm, measured approach.'' Mr. Wade said Congressmen he had spoken to were startlingly uninformed about the US Naval Air Station.

They did not know the US Navy ran Bermuda's Airport, he added.

And, therefore, they were unaware what a body blow closure of the Base would be to Bermuda's economy.

Mr. Wade will head a PLP delegation to the Black Caucus of Congress tomorrow afternoon.

As well as the possible withdrawal of US forces from Bermuda, international business will also be discussed.

With Mr. Wade will be Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith.

Southampton West candidate Mr. Terry Lister, who has been the party's campaign co-chairman, may also go.

Mr. Wade said the group, which returns on Sunday, will hammer home five points: The importance of the Base staying open, even on a reduced level; Bermuda must be given ample advance notice if the Americans leave; Bermudians should be trained to run the Airport, if the US forces quit; The need to examine the possibility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation using the Base; Bermuda should be able to have the land transferred back to her, if necessary.

Mr. Wade said these points had been made by the PLP to the Base's new Commanding Officer Capt. Timothy Bryan.

And Capt. Bryan had said it would be possible to train Bermudians to run the airport.

The meeting had been part of a careful PLP strategy over the US Base, including the naval annex, said Mr. Wade.

As well as the Washington visit, talks with members of US President Bill Clinton's administration were also on the cards.

These would be arranged though the US Consulate in Bermuda, said Mr. Wade.

"The Progressive Labour Party has consistently adopted a position which has been to anticipate and plan ahead so that we manage for the good and bad times.'' Mr. Wade said the PLP had embarked on a careful strategy over the US Base.

Bermudians had been ill-served by a Government which should have acted earlier.

"Instead of this last minute flurry of activity by the Premier now, running one day to NATO, the next to Washington, the people of Bermuda have a right to expect that the UBP Government would have been primed to act decisively and to conduct diplomatic initiatives at a much earlier juncture.'' Mr. Wade described Sir John's attempts on the Base issue as "hysterical jack-knifing and teeter-tottering from one part of the world to another as if on an out-of-control see-saw.'' He added he had spoken recently to US Congressmen over the Base.

"The startling fact which emerged is the lack of information that the individual Congressmen had regarding the United States Base in Bermuda.

"Those with whom we talked did not appreciate the fact that the US Navy ran our civilian airport and that any closure of the Base would cause a closure of the airport thus causing serious damage to our Island's economy.''