Pressure continued to build yesterday for the Premier to name an early date for the Independence referendum.

In a strongly-worded statement, the Chamber of Commerce said business was "on hold'' until the plebiscite was dealt with.

A top travel agent said uncertainty surrounding the date was disrupting Bermudians' travel plans.

And Government backbencher the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto said there was no reason Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan had to wait until position papers were ready to name the referendum date.

"Bermuda is haemorrhaging, politically and economically, as a result of the failure to set a date for the referendum,'' Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto told The Royal Gazette .

A survey of United Bermuda Party caucus members showed that most MPs who responded felt the referendum should be held "the sooner the better,'' though at least one Cabinet Minister said a July referendum might be "optimistic.'' Both Sir John and Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman were off the Island yesterday. Most recently, the Premier has said he hopes to soon announce a July or August date for the referendum.

Mr. Robert Rego, president of the Chamber, said uncertainty about Independence was hurting business. It was "imperative'' that Government position papers on constitutional issues in an independent Bermuda be released quickly and the referendum held, he said.

Ms Carolyn Mello, the Chamber's executive vice-president, said a survey of members showed that 95 percent of those who responded "have serious doubts and concerns about most of the conclusions and assumptions'' in Government's recent discussion paper on Independence, called a Green Paper.

Of 500 members polled, 96 responded, she said. Their confidence in conducting business in an independent Bermuda was "quite low,'' she said -- 2.8 on a scale of one to ten.

Mr. Carl Paiva, vice-president, marketing of Meyer Travel, joined the chorus of voices calling for a referendum date to be set.

"Not just the Bermudian leisure traveller, but the corporate traveller is being extremely conservative at the moment,'' Mr. Paiva said. "We want to get the uncertainty behind us so we can move forward.'' Several clients had delayed putting down deposits, particularly on higher-priced cruises and tours, he said. Government has made no provision for absentee balloting, and Bermudians who want to be sure they are on the Island for the referendum are saying: "I don't want to commit if I'm going to lose a deposit,'' Mr. Paiva said.

"I'll wait and see.'' But several other travel agents surveyed said the referendum appeared to be having little or no influence on Bermudians as they booked their summer vacations.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto said she found it "absolutely extraordinary'' that both the Premier and Mr. Pearman were off the Island yesterday. "They're putting everybody in this Country through this agony,'' she said.

If getting position papers through the Green Paper committee and Cabinet was the reason for the referendum delay, "they should be meeting morning, noon, and night, and I do not believe they are doing that,'' she said.

Most Government MPs who spoke on the issue yesterday said they favoured an early referendum.

"I think the sooner the better,'' said Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons. However, "I think July is a bit optimistic.'' Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess said more important than the date was "to get the information out there and get on with the educational process.'' He would not comment on when the vote should be held.

Dr. David Dyer MP said Government should "get on with'' the referendum in July. "I don't think the position papers are going to influence people one way or another,'' he said. "They don't bind you to anything.'' Backbencher Mr. Rick Spurling said that from "an international business perspective,'' he would prefer July. "However, I have to qualify that slightly,'' he said. "If we were premature in having the referendum prior to the time that we could successfully achieve proper education of the public, then obviously it would be a mistake,'' he said.

Mrs. Grace Bell MP would not comment on the timing of the referendum.