yesterday, with the UBP accusing him of making false claims.

A recent fund-raising letter sent out by Mr. Hayward's re-election committee claimed Mr. Hayward "supported 85 percent of the legislation introduced by the UBP.'' Yesterday, UBP executive Mr. Joe Gibbons claimed Mr. Hayward's figures "do not add up.'' Mr. Hayward, he said, supported the Government just 37 percent of the time, and was simply attempting to attach himself to the UBP's coat-tails.

But Mr. Hayward quickly replied that Mr. Gibbons' own figures showed he really supported the UBP at least 93 percent of the time.

The UBP should be thankful for that support, rather than critical, he said.

"The UBP's main problem is paranoia. It doesn't appreciate anybody who is not a UBP clone -- and I am not.'' The issue of Mr. Hayward's support is viewed as significant in his district of Pembroke West Central, which voted strongly for the UBP until 1989, when it elected Mr. Hayward along with the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto of the UBP.

The widespread belief in both UBP and Hayward camps is that voters are more likely to vote for Mr. Hayward if he generally supports the UBP.

"Far from being a supporter of the party, the Independent MP is considered to be an opponent,'' Mr. Gibbons said yesterday. The party "took exception'' to his fund-raising letter.

Mr. Gibbons said there were 27 roll call votes in the three years from April, 1989 to March this year. Of these, Mr. Hayward voted with the Opposition 19 times and with the Government seven times.

"Rather than the 85 percent he is claiming, our figures more accurately record a percentage of 37.'' Formal records are only kept of roll call votes in the House. But the vast majority of votes are made vocal "aye'' or "nay.'' Even then, objectors often remain silent, knowing they don't have enough support to defeat a measure.

But Mr. Hayward maintained his own figures were correct.

Prompted by accusations of PLP sympathies before the 1989 election, Mr.

Hayward said he meticulously kept computer records of all legislation from the time he was elected until his schedule was interrupted by his father's death last November.

During that time, he said, 294 bills were introduced by Government. So if he only opposed Government 19 times, he said, Government enjoyed his support at least 93 percent of the time.

The fund-raising letter, he pointed out, said he "supported 85 percent of the legislation introduced by the UBP.'' If anything, he said, he supported the Government more.

"If I had supported the Government 100 percent of the time, it would either say that the Government was perfect in my view, or that I was afraid to vote my conscience, neither of which are true ... I don't think any voter expected that I was going to support the Government 100 percent.''