Premier's trip to Washington last week.

The Hon. Sir John Swan met President Bill Clinton for a nine-minute meeting during the visit.

But in the House of Assembly, Mr. Wade asked whether the trip had been a campaign gimmick.

The leader of the Progressive Labour Party said: "Let me say from the outset that we expect the Premier of this Country to be doing what he did in Washington. We expect him to further the ends of Bermuda for the entire community.

"We have no quarrels that he went to determine Bermuda's position in relation to the US Base and excise tax.

"What we do have a quarrel with is the secrecy with which the visit seems to have come about.'' Mr. Wade said that he believed the Clinton Administration had wanted the meeting to be kept confidential, but he read about it on the front page of The Royal Gazette .

He said: "If we are being asked to keep it confidential then it is a serious breach of trust between the Government and the Clinton Administration.

"It appears that The Royal Gazette knew about it before even Cabinet were told it was happening. Does The Royal Gazette have a more important role than the Cabinet? "I understand it was a very high up official who made the leak to the media.

One wonders if this was really a trip necessary to find out about tax or the US Base, or was it a campaign gimmick? I hope it was not just the party involved in a PR exercise to get two headlines in The Royal Gazette .

"This was either case of playing politics for photo-opportunities or the Premier's machinery is very leaky.'' The Premier denied the trip was a campaign gimmick. Sir John said that an opportunity had appeared to speak to the President and that he had agreed that the trip should have no pre-empted publicity.

"As a result of the trip I was able to meet the President and other people who are involved with Bermuda,'' he said. " The Royal Gazette was able to find out about the meeting and sent along a reporter. If you read the paper carefully you will see it was just speculating that I was to meet the President.

"I realised when I was there that there was a need to inform the Bermuda public using the media who were able to reach me in Washington. I apologise for not letting the public know but I felt confident that I would be informing Parliament today after meeting the President yesterday.

"I can tell the leader of the Opposition that it was not intended to be a photo opportunity.

"The Government is elected to carry out certain responsibilities and I have acted in a way that upholds the integrity of the country and, as importantly, to ensure that Bermuda's interests are looked after.'' GREETINGS -- Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan with Washington power broker Mr.

Vernon Jordan shortly after their Thursday morning breakfast meeting. Sir John came under fire in the House of Assembly on Friday for the Washington trip.