thinks the Progressive Labour Party "lives in a fantasy world when it comes to understanding the simple basics of economics''. Thus the NLP joins the United Bermuda Party which has long held the view that the Progressive Labour Party would reduce Bermuda to something close to an economic wasteland.

Right now the NLP is miffed that the PLP turned the House of Assembly debate on the motion to take note of the economy made by NLP leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell into "political mayhem''.

In this newspaper's view the NLP is correct about the "mayhem'' since the PLP engaged in a night of meaningless "Um ums'' with even the Shadow Minister of Finance failing to present viable points. NLP leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell has said of PLP leader Mr. L. Frederick Wade: "Mr. Wade accused me of colluding with the UBP, but he, too, had every opportunity to make his contribution.

However, he didn't take advantage of that opportunity which showed that he was unprepared.'' It is true that the PLP in general seemed badly prepared for the debate but it is also true that Mr. Darrell appeared to be in collusion with the UBP simply because the timing of his motion gave the UBP a superb opportunity to display its successes.

The National Liberal Party Chairman Mr. Geoff Parker has also engaged in some tough criticism of the PLP. Mr. Parker is reported as saying, "The resultant debacle by the PLP, who resorted to ridicule and herd-like emotionalism to counter their inability to debate this most important topic, shows clearly they have little depth in this area and cannot be considered a serious alternative government.'' That sounds to us like the UBP talking.

But none of it stops there.

The NLP's attack on the PLP seems to have been provoked by PLP Shadow Minister for the Environment, Mr. Julian Hall. Mr. Hall complained in a speech on the economy motion about Government attempts to balance the Budget, saying "We appreciate the attractiveness of balancing the Budget but this slavish reliance on avoiding debt is madness. Creative debt is good for any business and country.'' Mr. Parker, at least, has taken Mr. Hall's statement seriously and says that what Mr. Hall suggests would be "creative madness''.

"To finance this Country by borrowing as the PLP intends to do will very quickly drain our resources and raise our taxes even more than now with no hope of getting out from under,'' Mr. Parker said.

He added, "Property values would fall to pre-1960s levels, travel would be severely restricted as foreign exchange would dwindle to nothing.'' Bermuda has not seen the NLP quite so hot and bothered in a long time and it is interesting that they come down so firmly on the side of the United Bermuda Party. That is a political development worthy of note. We now have two parties opposed to the PLP.

The National Liberal Party was formed by leaders who broke away from the Progressive Labour Party and it is interesting how far it now is from PLP policy.

It has been clear for some time that the NLP is liberal in name only, just as the Progressive Labour Party is progressive in name only, but it is surprising that the NLP may now be much more conservative than the UBP. This all indicates to us that the National Liberal Party's Chairman, Mr. Geoff Parker, who appears to have fled the UBP because he found it too liberal, has taken charge and toughened up the NLP.