previous rocky spell in the Education hot-seat as he lost his seat to Progressive Labour Party candidate Mr. Alex Scott in an extraordinarily close battle.

And Immigration Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman staged a come-from-behind rally late in the count to overtake Mr. Calvin Smith and prevent a PLP sweep of Bermuda's most populous constituency.

For a long time, it appeared as if the PLP would deal the UBP a potentially lethal blow by kicking out two Cabinet ministers as their candidates raced into a lead which they kept until well into the count.

A bitterly disappointed but philosophical Mr. Simons said: "I'm obviously disappointed by the result. However, that's democracy.'' The redistribution of the support won in 1989 by the NLP's popular candidate Mr. Walter Brangman was crucial, he said.

"The election this time was different with the Independent and the NLP candidates running,'' said Mr.

Simons.

"Clearly, much of the support that went to the NLP last time went to the PLP this time out.

"Irving Pearman would have attracted more of the NLP vote that would otherwise have gone to the PLP given his grass roots, trades background. He did not suffer as much as me.'' Although he said that his controversial spell as Education Minister did not appear to be an issue with the electorate, some in his constituency believed he may have suffered at the hands of parents with long memories.

Mr. Scott, who until his victory had been the PLP's Senate leader, had the sweetness of his victory tempered by the lost seats of his close colleagues, Mr. Julian Hall and Mr. Eugene Blakeney.

"That's knocked me for a loop,'' he said in the seconds after his victory was announced.

He called the contest for Warwick East "a David and Goliath affair''.

"Calvin and I were both taking on two Cabinet ministers,'' he said. "It was an extraordinary battle that was close all the way.

"I'm heartbroken for Calvin. We had plans and programmes for both Warwick East and Bermuda.'' Mr. Pearman said Warwick East was a marginal seat that was always going to be a struggle.

"On the one hand, I'm disappointed for Gerald Simons because he's a young man who has worked extremely hard for the people of Warwick East,'' he said.

"There was not a lot of votes between him and Mr. Scott.

"But, I'm delighted to have been re-elected. We ran a very good campaign in a marginal seat. In the final analysis, the people have spoken.'' RESULTS Irving Pearman (UBP) 897 Alex Scott (PLP) 894 Calvin Smith (PLP) 854 Gerald Simons (UBP) 832 Debra Saltus (NLP) 155 Patricia Gordon-Pamplin (Ind) 68 Void ballots 11.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION