traditionally viewed the United States as a helpful and benevolent friend and neighbour. Historically, dating back to the founding of the two colonies, there have been very close personal ties, family ties and business ties that bind the tiny island and the giant continent. Many Bermudians are married to United States citizens and a great many of us have been educated in the United States.

Bermudians feel that they played their part in the early days of the Second World War. They gave up their land when it was important and they welcomed countless American service personnel and their families to Bermuda without undue incident over more than 50 years. Bermuda even tolerated the installation of atomic weapons on the edge of an airport which would have caused a huge rumpus elsewhere. Yes, there were benefits for Bermuda, all kinds of benefits, not the least being a free airstrip. However, Bermudians have always felt that they would not be done down by the United States. We think there has been an assumption that when the bases came back to Bermuda the United States could be relied upon, as a good friend, to behave well.

Bermuda had faith and trust in its big friend. It is always a great disappointment when trust is breached and when something which is part of your very being turns out not to be true.

Demanding $140 million from a tiny Country for "improvements'' which are not improvements at all and which that Country did not want, and refusing to clean up a military environmental mess is not good behaviour in anyone's eyes. No sensible Bermudian has ever believed that Bermuda would actually pay the United States $140 million to get its own land back. No court of law will agree to charge a landlord for "improvements'' made by a tenant for the tenant's own benefit. We are told that the United States wants compensation for the "improvements and assets'' it is leaving behind. If they are so valuable, why don't they take the "improvements and assets'' with them? Indeed, we think most countries would be demanding the exact opposite, payment from the United States to assume this worn out base with its environmental problems and guarantees that the United States will take responsibility for any ongoing problems for the next 50 years.

The present situation is the clearest message we can think of to Bermudians that Independence is an emotional myth. There is not one thing that tiny Bermuda can do about this tough US stand except continue talking and hope that, in the end, the United States will behave well.

On a number of occasions, the Premier, Sir John Swan, has done extremely well for Bermuda when he has travelled to Washington and talked with his wide circle of contacts. It may be time for the Premier to make a booking for Washington.