Armed with a "yes'' vote in the August 15 referendum, a United Bermuda Party Government would do its utmost to bring the Island to Independence before a general election must be held in 1998.

That admission came from three Cabinet Ministers last night at the latest in a series of Government-sponsored Independence forums.

But under questioning from Smith's resident Mr. Harry Kessaram at St. Mark's Church Hall, the ministers denied that a perceived political advantage in the next election was a reason that Independence was suddenly thrust to the fore late in 1993.

There have been persistent rumours that after the UBP's narrow victory over the Progressive Labour Party in October of 1993, political advisers told the Premier that the only hope for a ninth consecutive election win was to take Bermuda to Independence.

But three members of the committee that wrote the Independence discussion paper called a Green Paper denied there was any such "Machiavellian plot''.

"We're good, but we're not that good,'' said Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman, who chaired the meeting which attracted only about 20 voters.

However, "There might have been some mastery in it that no one perceived at that time.'' Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul had a similar reply. Political advantage was not part of the plan, but "students of the political game'' had since told him that raising Independence "makes good political sense''.

"There are people who have told me ... history will write this up as a very clever political move, and what's wrong with that?'' It was the third committee member present, Human Affairs Minister the Hon.

Jerome Dill, who looked at the issue from the other side of the coin.

"A lot of people think that by raising the issue, rather than solidifying our position, we have damaged it,'' he said. "That is the reality.'' Independence, which was raised immediately after an election campaign in which it was never raised by either party, came close to splitting the UBP as Government tried for a solid year to get a referendum bill passed in Parliament.

Given a "yes'' vote, Government did not intend to go back to the voters before taking Bermuda to Independence, Mr. Pearman said. Government felt it had time to convene and complete a Constitutional Conference in the UK with what would remain of its five-year term.

"We would work hard not for it to take that long,'' Mr. Pearman said. Mr.

Kessaram said that appeared inconsistent with Government's claim that perceived electoral advantage was not a factor in raising the issue.

"It was not deliberately put on the agenda for the purpose you're suggesting,'' Mr. Pearman said. "It happened almost by default.'' Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan had raised the issue in a couple of "talks'' in December of 1993, and was challenged to show what his thinking was, Mr.

Pearman said. "After a short period, he showed us.''