damage'' over his stand on the bill to legalise gay sex, the Progressive Labour Party chairman said yesterday.

Mr. Victor Fishington said "people on the street were just disgusted'' with MPs on both sides of the House of Assembly who voted in favour of the private member's bill from the Hon. John Stubbs of the United Bermuda Party.

The bill passed the House 22-16 early on Saturday morning. Mr. Wade was among eight of 18 PLP MPs to vote in favour of the bill, along with 14 of 21 UBP MPs. Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan voted against the bill, which is expected to receive first reading in the Senate today.

"I would say that the nature of the Bermudian people was not in favour of that bill even being discussed,'' Mr. Fishington told The Royal Gazette .

Asked if Mr. Wade would take more flak than other MPs, he said: "I would say yes. He's the party leader. He's the most high-profile person. You've left your vital organs open for damage.'' But Mr. Fishington did not feel party members were gunning for Mr. Wade over the stand he took in the conscience vote to decriminalise sex in private between consenting adult males. "I don't believe so,'' he said. "I haven't seen it yet. Some people may be expressing disgust with the leader, but I don't think anyone has indicated, or the leader has indicated, that he's getting flak about the leadership.'' The PLP chairman said he knew some party members were looking forward to discussing Dr. Stubbs' bill at the branch level. "It probably would be on the agendas at the forthcoming monthly meetings,'' he said.

However, "I don't foresee any action,'' he said.

"I think the leaders of the Country were elected to lead. There will always be sensitive issues that are brought forward in the House of Assembly.

Some issues are more sensitive than others.

"This issue was a very sensitive and emotional one,'' he said.

"It should be interesting to see what, if any, damage control has to be done by either of the parties.'' A Christian Coalition made up of the AME and other mainly-black churches vigorously opposed Dr. Stubbs' bill. Some believe MPs who favoured Dr. Stubbs' bill will feel the wrath of their congregations at election time.

Mr. Fishington said it was too soon to predict whether PLP or UBP MPs who supported the legislation would suffer at the polls as a result. "If the election were next week, I would say both parties would be in trouble,'' he said.

Mr. Frederick Wade