Independence, the Progressive Labour Party Leader said yesterday.

Mr. Frederick Wade called the move inappropriate during a news conference to express his party's disapproval of the way Government was handling the Independence issue.

Problems in the prisons and the weekend blackout were more appropriate subjects for a Commission of Inquiry, he said.

Government has not officially announced plans to hold a Commission of Inquiry, but according to high-level sources one will likely be ordered soon after Parliament resumes on February 4.

And senior Government Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness last night defended the holding of such an inquiry. It was, he said, "a very appropriate vehicle'' for looking into the issue, which was of great public interest.

Mr. Wade said the PLP was in favour of a Government green paper on Independence followed by the appointment of a joint select committee to look into and report on it.

Each political party should then prepare its position on Independence, spelling out all of its policies and programmes concerning it, he said.

"The subpoenas of witnesses and documents to a court of inquiry is hardly the way to discover freely the wishes and aspirations of Bermudians on this important matter,'' Mr. Wade said.

Noting the Governor would have to appoint the commission, Mr. Wade said the British Government should be completely shut out of the process of determining whether to sever ties with the mother country.

"The Governor after all represents the party from whom we are seeking independence,'' he said. "The question of Independence is a matter for Bermudians and Bermudians alone.'' Furthermore, Mr. Wade said the Commission of Inquiry Act 1935 was set up to investigate "disasters, problems in the public service, civil disturbance and other matters which directly impact on the public order and public good'', such as the fish pot ban and the 1977 riots.

"(A Commission of Inquiry) doesn't make any sense,'' he said. "It's like mixing oil and water. I'm amazed their legal advisors have even suggested it.'' Mr. Wade also took the opportunity to state that the PLP would fight Government's plan to lift foreign currency exchange controls. The UBP did not have a mandate from the public on "such a serious matter'', he said. And it would "benefit only a few wealthy people who want to get their money out''.

Mr. Wade likened a referendum to giving Government "a blank cheque to write as they please on the question of Independence''.

Commenting on the recent Cabinet resignations, Mr. Wade said he knew of at least two other senior Government MPs who were strongly against Independence.

But he said: "I do not know if they feel strongly enough to make the matter one of conscience as Ann Cartwright DeCouto has done.'' Her shock resignation showed the UBP was on a sinking ship and facing "a crisis of confidence'', he charged.

Mr. Edness responded by saying Mr. Wade had created a sinking ship of his party and should step aside.

"Only one person has left Cabinet, which means the majority of Cabinet and the backbenchers feel Independence should be examined,'' he said. "We are very much together on this.'' Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto was still a very strong UBP member, he said.