request for a summer recall of Parliament to debate the Irving Pearman affair.

As an experienced parliamentarian, the Opposition Leader knows that the recall is highly unlikely. Recalls take place only in exceptional -- very exceptional -- circumstances such as a national crisis and are almost impossible during the summer recess when MPs and Senators scatter on their holidays.

In any case, Parliament would normally only be recalled at the request of the Government. If Parliament were to be recalled for every controversy at the whim of the Opposition, it is doubtful that there would ever be a long recess.

The Opposition complains quite regularly that Parliament does not sit as often as it should and if Opposition requests for recalls were granted, they could become a real tool to keep Parliament off-balance.

In any case, it seems to us that the request for a recall over the Irving Pearman affair will be seen by the Speaker of the House, the Hon. Ernest DeCouto, for exactly what it is, an attempt by the Opposition to have a good summer bash at the Government. It is difficult for the PLP to score points when Parliament is not in session because of the lack of a platform.

Clearly the Opposition would dearly love a special chance amid great publicity to have a good go at the Government, the Governor and the Police Commissioner and, perhaps, Mr. Pearman himself under the guise of "protecting his interests''. After all, Mr. Pearman occupies a very marginal Warwick East seat which the PLP would dearly love to win.

It is politics and not the national interest which has motivated the Progressive Labour Party to request a recall. Disturbing though it may be, there is nothing of national importance in the Irving Pearman affair to warrant the recall of Parliament.

The PLP may think that it is in a win-win situation where there are a few votes to be had if Parliament is recalled and a few to be had as a result of its complaints if Parliament is not recalled. But that would appear to be the motivation for requesting a recall even though the PLP might like us to think that it is taking the high road and advocating "public interest''.

It is going to be important to remember as we draw closer to a General Election that all three political parties will be posturing for votes.

Bermudians in general are usually close enough to their politics to be aware when they are dealing with reality and when they are faced with political grandstanding. It is seldom difficult to tell the difference but it is important to make the effort to do so.