publicly, Mr. Walton Brown was tightlipped yesterday on his Independence unity initiative.

Mr. Brown, chairman of the Committee for the Independence of Bermuda, wanted to meet the two party leaders to find "areas of commonality'' on Independence and the referendum planned for this summer.

He and other committee members met for one hour on Thursday with Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan. Mr. Brown said he expected confirmation today of a meeting with Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade.

After much internal debate within the governing United Bermuda Party, Parliament recently passed a bill to hold a referendum on Independence this summer. But the Progressive Labour Party, which voted against the referendum bill and wants the issue decided in a general election, has called for a boycott.

Over the weekend, the Premier and Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mr.

Alex Scott continued a public argument over the referendum.

"The whole issue as we see it has become overly complicated and overly divisive,'' Mr. Brown said.

He would not comment on the results of his meeting with the Premier before meeting with Mr. Wade. "Let's just wait and see,'' Mr. Brown said. "Things will be revealed in due course.'' The call for a boycott has drawn criticism from some quarters in the PLP.

The referendum is expected in July or August. The legislation stipulates that a full 40 percent of all eligible voters must vote in favour of Independence for a Government mandate on the issue to exist. If the first requirement was met, a simple majority of votes cast would also be needed.

The PLP won 46 percent of votes cast in the 1993 general election. And while the UBP has no position on Independence, the Opposition officially favours it.

So if PLP supporters heeded the boycott call, any chance of a yes vote would be doomed.