Chief Justice, the Hon. Sir James Astwood as President of the Court of Appeal has resulted in an extraordinary display.

Government House confirmed the appointment yesterday.

But Mr. Frederick Wade condemned the appointment of Sir James in advance. Yet Mr. Wade is a leader of a group which constantly and correctly points out the problems facing black men and in the House of Assembly on Wednesday was saying: "The glass ceiling is as real as day follows night in Bermuda.'' Mr.

Wade is the first to advocate Bermuda for Bermudians and the advancement of black Bermudians. Yet there is a disturbing pattern of PLP attacks on blacks who get through the "glass ceiling''. It seems that if blacks succeed they are in trouble from other blacks.

Mr. Wade, a lawyer, opposed in advance the promotion of a distinguished and highly respected fellow black Bermudian to one of the highest posts in the land. Does his stand make any sense? It does if you begin to think that Mr.

Wade only favours those people who openly support him or his party. He is so intent on politicising the judiciary that he is willing to advocate a non-Bermudian Court of Appeal and to decry a fellow Bermudian.

Mr. Wade told the House of Assembly that the appointment of Sir James would be "incestuous''. "If Sir James has not been appointed yet it should be rethought.'' It may seem that what we have here is a demonstration of the tragic fact that nothing fails like black success. It seems to us that this is a classic demonstration of a tendency by some black Bermudians to tear down other blacks as soon as they are successful. Sir James is surely one of the great black role models in the Country, a successful and respected Bermudian judge at the top of Bermuda's legal profession which, in the past, was often dominated by non-Bermudians. In the face of his own suggestion that Sir James would be appointed, Mr. Wade now says that the Court of Appeal is one area where the PLP does not want Bermudianisation.

We have to wonder if what he really means is that the lawyers at the top of the PLP resent Sir James' success. Jealousy is a disturbing but natural instinct but should not, we think, rear its ugly head black on black. Surely putting down your own role models is very defeating.

Bermuda has any number of fine black role models at the top of its society. We have a long-serving black Premier who was a self-made millionaire before he became the leader of his Country and who receives more respect abroad than he sometimes receives at home. We have a black head of the Civil Service and a black Commissioner of Police, and there are many more. Yet we are often told young blacks need role models. If they do not see Bermuda's successful blacks as role models, it is because blacks discredit the success of fellow blacks.

It would correctly be considered outrageous if white Bermudians opposed Sir James on the basis that he is Bermudian. The politicians would then claim that whites were trying to deprive a qualified black Bermudian of a top job. Yet Mr. Wade opposes the idea of Sir James Astwood. We think he should examine his reasons.