Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade warned yesterday.

And he said the state of the economy would be the main focus of the Progressive Labour party in the next general election.

Mr. Wade made the comments as he announced that Southampton East stalwarts Mr.

Reginald Burrows and Mr. Stanley Lowe will stand again in the constituency in the next election.

But he used the press conference to berate Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul, claiming he was pushing Bermuda deeper into recession with his talk of wage freezes and cutbacks.

"If Government cuts back programmes we'll get deeper and deeper into recession so that we wind up in a depression,'' he said. "Government should be working to create jobs -- and not just in the construction industry.'' On Wednesday Bermuda Public Service Association general secretary Mr. Eugene Blakeney, also a PLP MP, rapped Dr. Saul for "negotiating in the media''.

The Bermuda Industrial Union, which represents blue-collar civil servants is expected to take a similar position in its newspaper today.

Contract talks between Government and the BIU are currently underway.

Mr. Blakeney said it was up to the BPSA membership whether it will accept a wage freeze or marginal increase.

He said if the economy turned around by the time negotiations get underway next June then members would expect more than a slight increase.

Dr. Saul said this week there was "enough evidence the economy was in the doldrums'' and he did not see any signs of recovery.

He said Government would be laying a wage freeze or only a meagre wage increase on the bargaining table.

Mr. Burrows, whose shadow portfolio is Community and Cultural Affairs, pledged to fight an "escalating'' crime and drugs problem in the neighbourhood.

And party whip Mr. Lowe, born and raised in Southampton, said he will be tackling unemployment.

Both men have represented Southampton East in the House of Assembly since 1968.

Mr. Burrows said he would also focus his attention on improving the "deplorable'' condition of his constituency's roads, especially Middle Road between Heron Bay School and the Market Place.

He said Southampton East, home to two of Bermuda's largest hotels and a number of guest properties, employed the most people after Pembroke.

"We would have hoped Government would've paid more attention to the area,'' he said. "It has done a good job on the South Shore, but seems to have forgotten Middle Road. I only hope Government will make some improvements soon because there have been at least four road fatalities in the area -- and it is still without a sidewalk.'' Mr. Lowe said he recognised unemployment was not just a problem in Southampton East and would strive to put "as many back to work as possible''.