last Friday that California State Senator Dianne Watson will be the next US Consul General to Bermuda.

Mr. Stephen Kish said there has been no movement on the Presidential appointment to the diplomatic post.

"I can confirm there has been no American consul general named for Bermuda,'' he said.

Mr. Kish added that the White House was still in the process of making some major ambassadorial appointments to Europe.

"I would expect those appointments would be made before Bermuda,'' he said.

The September 24 Bermuda Times issue included a Page 1 story on the Progressive Labour Party's visit to the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC.

The article included a photograph of party leader Mr. Frederick Wade with Senator Watson which said: "Opposition Leader Freddie Wade and Bermuda's next consul general, California State Sen. Dianne Watson.'' The Bermuda Times staff reporter who wrote the story was not available yesterday to answer where the information came from.

The paper earlier said sources had indicated that State Sen. Watson -- a frequent visitor to the Island who knows senior members of both political parties -- was tipped for the post.