Country when the Senate met yesterday.

United Bermuda Party Senator Kim Swan urged the Progressive Labour Party to stop attempting to divide the Island and instead treat the people of Bermuda as one.

He said: "I feel that this Country is wound up tight and the Government must take some of the blame.

"It's not necessary to wind up and polarise every step of the way.''.

He said in November 1998 there were a huge amount of people who voted for the PLP, but said many of the UBP voters were prepared to stand by Government and give it a chance.

But he said many of those people felt polarised by Government.

"I urge the Government to settle the country down,'' he added.

And he said one of the ways in which Government could do that was by holding a Constitutional Conference on proposed changes to the Constitution to fully inform the people of what was planned.

"If it's necessary to have four forums for the issue of long-term residents, then it's not good form to have only one on the Constitution. What harm could it bring to have a Constitutional Conference and involve the people in this process? "We work for the people. The people are our employers. It would not do us any harm to involve our employer a little more with what we intend to do. It's important that all the people of Bermuda have an opportunity to participate as widely as possible and as often as possible in this important exercise.'' And Senator Swan said far from a new Bermuda, the people were living in the real Bermuda. He added: "Mr. President, after two years we live in the real Bermuda, the real Bermuda polarisation, the real Bermuda secrecy and the real Bermuda of intimidation and fear, and the real Bermuda of in your face politics.'' The Senate was unable to discuss the specific issues surrounding the proposed changes to the Constitution, other than in relation to the detail of the Throne Speech.

The Premier's speech contained two paragraphs about the changes and how a public meeting was likely to be held.

President of the Senate Alf Oughton said to The Royal Gazette yesterday that the Senators had not broken any rules by talking about the Constitution.

He added: "The Constitution was not discussed during the Senate, merely the issue raised in the Throne Speech about a public meeting. None of the actual issues were discussed.''