failure to tell Premier Pamela Gordon that she was planning to cross the floor last week.

Yesterday, she told The Royal Gazette that she should have informed Ms Gordon in advance of her departure. Her failure to do so made her appear deceitful and embarrassed the Premier and her former colleagues and supporters.

"It would have been better if I had telephoned her but I didn't want it to be leaked to the Press,'' Mrs. Bell said yesterday. "I should have told her but I didn't and I apologise. It's something I feel bad about.'' Mrs. Bell erred in misleading the public and her colleagues about her intentions but deserves credit for being relatively quick to apologise and for, finally, giving some indication of why she changed parties.

Mrs. Bell's example could be followed by other politicians who have confused the public with their recent statements.

It would benefit the public if Ms Gordon and former Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness cleared up the details surrounding his departure from the Cabinet.

When Mr. Edness left the Cabinet, he told the media and the public that he had done so voluntarily; and Ms Gordon revealed to one of the Island's television staions that Mr. Edness was considering taking up an opportunity which would requre a good deal of foreign travel. The next day, Mr. Edness denied that he had any such plans, and inmdeed seems to relish an election campaign in Warwick West, where he remains in good standing in the polls. Now they should explain whether this was a misunderstanding.

There has also been a good deal of confusion over the health of St. George's North MP Leon (Jimmy) Williams. For some months now, Mr. Williams has been ill, but both he and the Opposition have been ether vague or downright obstructionist about the nature and severity of his illness.

Mr. Williams is, of course, entitled to his privacy and no-one has an absolute right to know every single detail of his illness.

But it is not out of some kind of voyeurism or need for malicious gossip that the public needs to know more about his health. Mr. Williams is an elected representative of the constituents of St. George's North, he is a Shadow Minister for a vital portfolio -- Environment -- and he is an elected official of the Corporation of St. George's.

Until now, the public has been told that Mr. Williams, who has been sick for at least six weeks, is suffering from back pain. Now, his close friend Mrs.

Bell has denied that he is making a quick recovery and has stated that he is a "very sick man''.

His constituents and the public he represents have a right to know more -- if only to clear the air and to scotch the inevitable rumours and gossip that failure to make any kind of disclosure will generate.

The Opposition too, should be prepared to make some kind of disclosure. As the Government-in-waiting, the Progressive Labour Party must be prepared to be more open than it has been up to now. Instances like this -- and the Opposition's arrogance in the Budget debate when they refused to explain how they would pay for the programmes they were proposing -- do the public a disservice.