announced yesterday.

Critics said the vote should be held earlier, but most were happy that a date had finally been announced.

The Independence debate has continued in fits and starts since Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan first raised the issue in December, 1993. Business leaders say the prolonged uncertainty is costing Bermuda money.

Sir John announced the referendum date in the House of Assembly as Government tabled a collection of position papers related to issues surrounding Independence.

Bank of Butterfield chairman and former Premier the Hon. Sir David Gibbons, who had pushed hard for a July referendum, typified business reaction to the announcement.

"I couldn't be more delighted that a firm date has been set,'' Sir David said. "Any further delay would have had a very negative impact.'' At a news conference attended by most of his Cabinet, Sir John urged voters to resist Progressive Labour Party calls for a referendum boycott.

"Don't sit home on the couch and hope it will go away, or say, `I don't want to participate','' Sir John said. "We should exercise our democratic right that has been given to us, that we have fought for over the years, that people have made great sacrifices for.

"It is the basis of a free society.'' While Government would launch an information campaign next week which it said would be aimed at persuading voters neither for nor against Independence, Sir John said he would campaign personally in favour of ending Bermuda's status as a dependent territory.

He and others who favour Independence face an uphill battle, even without the boycott call. While polls show most Bermudians oppose Independence, the referendum act sets strict requirements before Government has a mandate to negotiate such a split. In addition to a simple majority of votes cast, 40 percent of all eligible voters would have to say "yes'' to Independence, meaning that about 14,000 "yes'' votes would be required.

Government backbencher Mr. Trevor Moniz was highly critical of the date, which was not disclosed to caucus and which he learned about in Friday's The Royal Gazette .

"August 15 has nothing to recommend it that I can think of,'' Mr. Moniz said.

"It's the highest holiday period of the year, bar none,'' and "thousands'' of Bermudians could be off the Island then, he said.

Government Whip Mr. John Barritt said he too would have preferred an earlier date, but he was now turning his attention to advance polls to accommodate the large number of Bermudians he expected would be traveling on referendum day.

The Parliamentary Election Act provides for only one advance poll, no earlier than seven days before the main polling date, Mr. Barritt said. But since many Bermudians might take two weeks of holidays at Cup Match and not return to Bermuda until after August 15, he proposed amending legislation to allow one advance poll around August 1 and another one around August 8.

Sir John said Government was still studying the advance poll issue.

Mr. Robert Rego, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said the referendum date was "acceptable''.

"I think we're pleased to hear of a date,'' he said. "Although we favoured July, August 15 is acceptable. It gives enough time to study the position papers and make representations on any views we have.'' Sir John said the public needed time to digest the position papers. August 15 would allow Cup Match festivities from August 3 to 6 to subside, while not being so late that students would have returned to school overseas.