bridges. Will it be possible? It will have to be more than possible if the UBP hopes to survive. The background to the splits is complex and painful, stemming basically from the fact that "The Five'' feel cheated. They believe they saved the Country by winning the battle against Sir John Swan's Independence but lost the war when David Saul became Pemier and Sir John Swan received permission leading to a McDonald's. Their belief that they saved the Country from Independence is not based in fact but, nevertheless, they believe it.

Some of the lingering problem results from the fact that the large number of UBP parliamentarians who favoured Independence was not representative of the UBP's supporters, almost all of whom oppose Independence. That resulted in the UBP and the Saul Government failing to put Independence firmly to bed. The Premier himself has failed to declare his position, leading to the disturbing suspicion that he is in favour.

The emotions resulting from all this are almost unbelievably strong. The splits are very real and dangerous for Bermuda but we continue to believe that the common aims of the members of the UBP are greater than the divisions.

Any meeting which takes place should set aside discussion of the divisions and deal with building on the commonality. The Cabinet has a number of weak members and if it is to be shuffled this summer, then there is room in Cabinet for at least three of "The Five''. Finance, Youth and Sport, and Works should all be available.

If there is still no agreement, no compromise, no will to get on with business, then those people outside the general boundaries of the UBP have a duty to step aside and allow the body of the UBP to get on with ruling the Country. There is really no other solution. We cannot go on for much longer with a government defeating itself nor can the UBP hope to win an election that way. Sometimes in this life we all lose, we may not like it but we do.

None of us can dwell forever on our defeats. If you lose you set it aside and go on. The problem in UBP politics today seems to be that when you lose you get on with guerrilla warfare at the expense of the Country.

If there is any hope of sorting out the problems, there have to be compromises in advance of the talks.

The Government has to stop being stubborn and clear the way for peace by agreeing to get rid of franchises and McDonald's. In the process, it should spare us the technical lectures on why McDonald's came about. Government has lost on franchises twice in the House of Assembly and appears to have won rather weakly in the Senate. Isn't that enough disruption? "The Five'' seem to think that they have wide support from UBP voters. It seems true that they had wide support in their fight against McDonald's but we have serious doubts about that support now that their actions are threatening the future of the UBP. They must know that they will never be forgiven if they persist until they wreck the UBP, no matter what their cause.

In any case, they have no intention of giving up their fight. The Premier said on television last Monday night that he planned to be Premier for years to come.

In the meantime there has to be a solution for the Country and that solution can only come with compromise. We have suggested some to clear the way. There is one other possible solution.

The UBP seems to have great faith in polls. It may be that the UBP should conduct a proper poll, monitored by both groups, asking the people who they want to govern them. They would, of course, have to agree in advance to abide by the poll.