repetitive, and House Speaker Ernest DeCouto was getting fed up.

Finally, he got up.

"We are the highest court in the land and I feel we ought to be setting an example,'' he told MPs during Friday's Throne Speech debate.

"The hour is getting on and we've only had six speakers. I feel we ought to be able to put our points in a nutshell.'' The Speaker's censure has now sparked debate of its own: the standard of speeches in the House of Assembly.

Last night Mr. DeCouto told The Royal Gazette : "I felt the level of the Throne Speech debate could have been raised. I heard a lot of repetition and irrelevance.'' He added: "Of course, brevity is a sign of wisdom and I thought it would be a good idea if MPs gave shorter speeches and planned their speeches.'' It was about 9.30 p.m. when Mr. DeCouto stood up, and Transport Minister Wayne Furbert had just concluded a marathon speech.

Mr. DeCouto, of course, was using Parliamentary language. In plain English it could be translated to something like: Put a sock in it! Not that many MPs were present to hear Mr. DeCouto's censure. At one stage during Mr. Furbert's speech the only member sitting on the Government benches was Grace Bell. And she appeared to be nodding off. Opposition MP Ottiwell Simmons, for one, welcomed the Speaker's appeal.

He said the radio audience had been forced to listen to long, empty speeches, which carried the listener nowhere.

Last night Mr. DeCouto won support from present and former MPs.

Shadow Human Affairs Minister Ewart Brown, a firm believer in the power of brevity, said: "I think we've reached the point where we should do something to streamline debates.

"Each side should agree on how many speakers get up and we should stick to a schedule.'' He added: "I think many Parliamentarians are growing weary of endless debates. I think the Country wants more from us.'' Asked whether the radio audience actually kept listening into the small hours, Dr. Brown laughed: "You would be surprised. I suppose to some it's a form of entertainment.'' Former Premier Sir David Gibbons admitted he had not listened to the two-session Throne Speech debate, which ended shortly before 3 a.m. on Saturday.

But he added: "I think long speeches can be a disease. I've always believed in quality not quantity.'' They say talk is cheap. In Bermudian politics, it seems, there is enough of it about to keep prices at rock bottom.

And Mr. DeCouto, for one, is not pleased.