his friends in the United States to boost his election chances.

PLP leader Mr. Frederick Wade accused the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan of asking friends in Congress to send letters attacking a PLP visit to the US concerning the closure of the US Base.

But Sir John hit back stating that Mr. Wade's visit had simply "muddied the waters'' and proved a setback to delicate negotiations between the Government and the Americans.

He claimed Mr. Wade and his party were "naive'' and doubted whether a PLP government would be able to make contacts to resolve the base issue satisfactorily.

The Premier added the base was at the top of the Government's agenda and, if re-elected today, work will begin immediately by contacting the Clinton Administration.

Mr. Wade's complaints arose out of a letter sent by senior congressmen Rep.

Charles Rangel and Rep. Charlie Rose inviting him back to Washington to discuss the Base issue. The letters appeared in the Royal Gazette .

He said the Government had tried to sidetrack the campaign into a discussion of the Base, stating that since the Cold War ended, the Island had known closure was possible.

The PLP mocked the letter to the Premier earlier in the campaign from Rep.

Robert Torricelli, chairman of the House foreign affairs sub-committee on the western hemisphere. Mr. Torricelli wrote that Bermuda should speak with one voice on the Base, and that voice should be the Government leader's.

Mr. Wade said: "Bermuda has been led to believe that Mr. Torricelli had been acting for Congress or for the US. But it was for his old friend John Swan.

The letter from Congressmen Rangel and Rose amounts to the same thing.'' But the Premier refuted the claim. He joked that he should thank Mr. Wade for having such a high opinion of his influence in Washington.

He said: "I do have friends in the United States who have told me to return to discuss the base when I have a mandate.

"We must negotiate as the Bermuda Government. Mr. Wade's visit has just muddied the water. Do you think that the British Prime Minister John Major would take the Labour party leader John Smith abroad with him to negotiate at that level? "It really shows the naivety of the PLP and a lack of understanding of what it takes to negotiate. Do we really want someone so naive dealing with our international friends?'' In a further twist late last night Mr. Wade released the text of a letter sent to him yesterday from Rep. Ron Dellums which applauded his activism on behalf of Bermuda.

Mr. Wade said: "I now have every reason to believe that the Bermuda Amendment will be deleted from the final bill during the conference between the US Senate and House of Representatives.

"When the PLP is elected today we will give top priority to meeting with Congressman Dellums again to discuss the future of the Bermuda US Naval Air Station and inititate discussions with the Clinton Administration.'' The Base discussions were the last shots fired yesterday as the two major parties made their last pushes to capture undecided voters.

At a press conference earlier, Mr. Wade mocked Sir John Swan as planning to be Premier for life. He said the UBP had resorted to US-style "negative campaigning'' in a desperate bid to keep Sir John in the job.

An example of UBP desperation was a flier sent to voters' homes, Mr. Wade said. The flier is in the form of a list of useful phone numbers, designed to be pinned to a household notice board or stuck to a refrigerator. Included above a prominent UBP logo are numbers for emergency services, Government departments and party candidates.

The Physical Abuse Hotline, for battered women, is listed under "Ministries/Services.'' Mr. Wade said a "rather enraged member '' of the Physical Abuse Centre had pointed out the list to him. He said the PAC had been denied Government cash over the years and resented being included in a "Government publication'' suggesting it received public funds.

The UBP was trying to save a desperate leader, said Mr. Wade, in the hope that Sir John could continue his "life Premiership''.

"Let's bring that life Premiership to an end tomorrow. Let's have a new beginning with the PLP.'' The UBP had attacked the PLP's ability to run the economy but had not discussed Opposition ideas on tourism or international business. He said: "The electorate has been robbed of the chance to have an open and fair discussion.'' Mr. Wade said a PLP Government would complete the national stadium and set up a youth corps.

In a press conference later in the afternoon the Premier said he hoped the party, and the public, would allow him to continue in the role he has held for the past 11 years and eight months.

Sir John said priorities included discussions with the European Community and Japan over trade links and tourism.

He said talks about the St. George's cruise ship would commence the week after the election, adding there had been no misunderstanding with Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. Jim Woolridge. He said it had been the wrong time for the discussion.

The UBP, according to Sir John, is preparing the Country for the future including any threat of future recessionary cycles. He said the Country has ridden the recession more successfully than many countries and many governments were studying the example of Bermuda.

He defended campaign publicity stating there are 110 things to do to improve Bermuda, but stressed that many more than 110 things have been done during the Government's tenure.

Physical Abuse Centre chairperson Mrs. Arleen Swan denied the group was enraged at being included on the UBP flier.

Mrs. Swan said: "I'm not enraged, not at all. It gives us added publicity.

But we're just concerned that they're giving the impression that we're one of the Government agencies.

"I was not aware that anybody from our board had approached Mr. Wade. It's unfortunate that he has taken it up as an issue.'' She planned to tackle Social Services Minister the Hon. Mr. Quinton Edness over the matter.

V FOR VICTORY -- The Hon. Sir John Swan is calling for a mandate from the public and the UBP to continue as Premier.

X FOR EX-CHANGE -- Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade calls for an end to the Hon. Sir John Swan's "life premiership''.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION