Planned talks on "metropolitan status'' have blindsided Bermuda just as the Independence debate did, Opposition Leader Frederick Wade said yesterday.

Mr. Wade said he is concerned about Premier David Saul's announcement on Friday that he hoped to meet with British Prime Minister John Major in January and discuss a possible changed relationship between Bermuda and the United Kingdom.

"Dr. Saul, like (Sir) John Swan, is going off again on a tangent without any consultation with anybody,'' Mr. Wade said.

An Opposition motion calling for a joint select committee on constitutional change had yet to be debated, he said.

The Premier "has not had the courtesy nor the decency to say anything about that motion. If this is what he calls a Government which is designed to produce peace, harmony, and prosperity, he's heading off again on a path all his own without due regard for the proper process.'' But Dr. Saul said Mr. Wade was reading far too much into the talks, which were not aimed at exploring "metropolitan status'' at all.

"What I'm interested in exploring is work experience opportunities for Bermudians,'' the Premier said.

And he was merely reacting to issues raised in a recent speech by Governor Lord Waddington.

"I read, like you read, the Governor's speech'' to Hamilton Lions Club, Dr.

Saul said. "The media got in touch with me and I said it's very interesting that Her Majesty's representative in Bermuda would say there are some possibilities, so I'm going to explore them a little further.'' Something that would be "very useful'' would be allowing Bermudians at all levels, but especially those in banking, hotels, and insurance, to gain three to five years of work experience in a large country, Dr. Saul said. "We don't want to emigrate there, but it would be excellent if they could get some work experience.'' Dr. Saul said the Governor had said "the door is not shut'' on such possibilities.

Asked if the Governor had not also said the door was not shut on metropolitan status, Dr. Saul said: "I don't think he can say that. He was just floating a balloon.

"It's something that the Governor of Bermuda can't comment on.'' In his speech, Lord Waddington stressed that his comments about a possible change in Bermuda-UK relations represented his personal view, not those of Her Majesty's Government.

Former Premier Sir John Swan, who was harshly criticised for his Independence initative, declined to comment on the proposed talks.