Government Minister Terry Lister said yesterday that it was an "embarrassment'' for the United Bermuda Party to criticise the PLP for not involving the people in Constitutional change when ordinary Opposition party members will have no say in electing the UBP leader.

Mr. Lister hit out after The Royal Gazette revealed yesterday that UBP branch delegates have opted not to directly elect the party leader -- leaving it in the hands of MPs.

A UBP working party suggested changing the party Constitution to allow ordinary members to help elect the leader, but the Executive Council -- consisting of UBP MPs, Senators and delegates of its 20 branches -- opted for no change.

Mr. Lister, the Environment, Development and Opportunity Minister, condemned UBP leader Pamela Gordon for not speaking out against restricting the leadership election to MPs.

He said this was baffling because the UBP had criticised the PLP for not including the people in recent proposed changes to the Island's Constitution.

Gordon, Lister clash over Constitution But Ms Gordon hit back, saying UBP members themselves had democratically decided the changes to the Constitution of a voluntary political organisation.

The Bermudian people, who are all affected by the Island's Constitution, had not been properly consulted, she said.

Mr. Lister said: "Against the campaign they have run to come right behind that and act up in such an undemocratic way is impossible to believe. It's a complete embarrassment.

"If I was that leader I would be setting up my strongest possible speeches, asking for it to be opened up, given their behaviour over the last few months.

"I then would have made comments saying how disappointed I was that it wasn't opened up in light of my behaviour over the fuss over the Constitution.

"They are saying people should be able to voice their views over Constitutional change and other important things in this country, and we've given them more opportunity than they had in 1968 and 1979, yet the same party can reject democracy within its own selection process.

"How can you demand people have a say when your own party refuses to give people a say? "If she (Ms Gordon) is saying `I didn't do it,' she should be speaking up against it because she is speaking against it (people's non-participation) on the issue of constitutional change.'' Ms Gordon retorted that Bermuda's Constitution decrees that the Governor chooses the Premier from the MP who commands the support of the majority of MPs in the House of Assembly so it UBP MPs had to elect a leader.

Many PLP MPs did not support Premier Jennifer Smith, but could do little about it because Ms Smith had been elected PLP leader by branch delegates as well as MPs, she said.

"What Terry Lister is trying to do is justify the PLP's non-compliance with the Bermuda Constitution,'' said Ms Gordon. "Terry Lister is trying to wriggle his way out of having the people of Bermuda not having a say in the Constitution that affects the entire people of the Country.

"If you belong to a country the Constitution is provided for you, it's a given. In a political organisation, you choose to join according to the rules and procedures in place.

"Most people involved in the UBP recognise it is a voluntary organisation and we operate a true democracy in that we allow our people to choose what kind of system they want and support it.

"If it was dictated to by the executive down, I could understand his criticism, but it wasn't.

"The PLP makes changes to the Constitution willy nilly without involving the people. We don't dictate when it comes to constitutional change. Can the PLP say the same?'' She added: "Terry Lister, on behalf of the PLP, needs to look at his own party's constitution before criticising the UBP.

"As I understand it, their constitution forbids party members receiving Queen's Honours yet Lois Browne Evans is now a Dame, and Dr. Eva Hodgson, who has since joined, also accepted honours. We recognise that they don't particularly honour constitutions.''