Government plans to debate its Independence referendum legislation on Budget Day, The Royal Gazette has learned.

And the Opposition Progressive Labour Party is furious over the move. "I think it is about the most reprehensible thing you could do -- to put something as important as Independence and as important as the Budget down on the same day,'' PLP Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said after last night's party caucus meeting.

"It's another example of Government's intention to ram this thing down Bermudians' throats without giving them an opportunity to digest what they are doing.'' It would take Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul all of Monday morning just to read the Budget speech, Mr. Wade said.

It was "contemptuous to the people of Bermuda'' to have the referendum legislation debated the same day.

And it violated a House tradition that there would be two weeks between first and second reading of a bill, he said. The referendum legislation received first reading on Friday.

"We intend tomorrow to speak to their Whip and tell him in no uncertain terms that we oppose this vehemently,'' Mr. Wade said last night.

Government Whip Mr. John Barritt confirmed last night that he told the PLP that Government wished to debate the Independence referendum legislation on Monday. "It was agreed we would try to get it out of the way if we could, before we got into the Budget debate,'' Mr. Barritt told The Royal Gazette .

"We don't debate the Budget on Monday. The Budget is just released.'' The House tradition was that two sittings would pass between first and second reading, Mr. Barritt said. Usually, the House only met once a week, but two sittings would pass before Monday's extraordinary sitting to hear the Budget.

And the Rules of the House said that only four days had to pass between first and second reading.

Government hopes to hold its referendum on Independence this year and wants the legislation passed before the Easter break.

While Mr. Barritt did not know if legislation had been debated previously on Budget Day, "it wouldn't be the first time that legislation has gone through in this sort of time frame,'' he said.

Independence "has been a topic of discussion for some weeks,'' he said. "The community has not only had an opportunity, but has taken advantage of the opportunity to discuss it.'' Mr. Wade said the PLP last night made decisions on how it would respond to the planned Commission of Inquiry and referendum. But he did not want to reveal the plans.

Recommending that PLP supporters boycott a referendum was one option, he said.