PLP member Rolfe Commissiong could find himself in hot water for a second time after he made an unsolicited phone call to a Royal Gazette journalist and spoke with him about an internal party matter.

Mr. Commissiong made the phone call on Wednesday and claimed that he "had been vindicated'' and reinstated as a member of the party's Parliamentary group and its Central Committee.

However, The Royal Gazette has learned that Mr. Commissiong's decision to go to the media with the decision of the central committee is a serious breach of party rules.

It is understood that all matters dealt with at the party's central committee level are judged to be internal and are not to be aired in the media.

Consequently, Mr. Commissiong was not at liberty to speak about the outcome of the disciplinary hearing that involved himself and the party brass.

PLP spokesman Michael Scott said that Mr. Commissiong's "purported'' comments about the activities of the central committee as it related to himself were not in keeping with party protocol.

He said: "The official position of the party is that the entire matter involving Mr. Commissiong had previously been reported as a suspension.

"It relates to central committee procedures which are entirely internal party matters on which I have no power or authority to comment on.

"I regret that I can answer no further questions on this entire matter involving Mr. Commissiong because it falls within the procedures and policies of the central committee which are internal.'' Last year Mr. Commissiong made an unsolicited phone call to a reporter from the Mid-Ocean News. On October 10, 1997 the newspaper ran a front-page article under the headline "Independence will be a top priority under PLP -- Commissiong''.

The PLP condemned the story after it was published and Mr. Commissiong charged that his comments were grossly misrepresented.

Still, Mr. Commissiong was suspended from meetings of the party's Central Committee and Parliamentary Committee amid the row over the newspaper interview.

And he was asked to appear before a special disciplinary committee to discuss the interview.

At the time, Party general secretary Walter Robain stressed that Mr.

Commissiong, a one-time PLP by-election candidate, had not been permanently axed from party office.

But his published comments regarding his prediction that Independence would come to the Island "because Bermuda would have no choice'' caused the PLP some distress.

Opposition Leader Jennifer Smith has already ruled out another look at Independence in the forseeable future. The option was overwhelmingly rejected after a Referendum in 1995.

Meanwhile, Mr. Commissiong told The Royal Gazette that he had predicted his own exoneration in the matter.

"I am happy to report that I have been vindicated,'' he said. "I have received official notice from the party that the suspension has been lifted.

"They sent me a letter about ten days ago. I had to appear before the disciplinary committee and we had a frank and open exchange of views in November.

"I am fully restored in the Central Committee and Parliamentary group. I am basically happy with the level of support I received from the Bermudian people and members within the party itself.

"It has reaffirmed my faith in the party as a party of justice and fairness.'' ROLFE COMMISSIONG -- "I have been vindicated''.