Bermuda Party tearing itself apart over an issue which was unnecessary because it was not on the public's agenda. Repeatedly Bermudians of all political persuasions ask why this Independence row is happening at a time when Bermuda has a slate full of problems which the UBP could be usefully solving.

This newspaper has no more information about the reasons for this Independence debate than it has provided for the public. One of the great puzzles of Bermudian politics is now and probably will continue to be, just why Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan decided to face a reluctant people with a tough choice on Independence. Why did a successful Premier choose to blight the end of his career with the one issue guaranteed in advance to split his party and to split the people? The UBP won a tough election at a time when conservative parties elsewhere were losing. We think the UBP won because the voters saw it, even after long years in office, as the best party to manage Bermuda, especially in difficult times. The voters knew the problems, bases closures, falling tourism, racial divisions, drugs, education, because they were election issues. But the voters saw something else. They saw Sir John Swan as the leader who had the experience to deal with bases abroad and the appeal to reach a public consensus at home. He was held in high esteem and affection by blacks and respected as a sound leader by whites.

The people made no choice on Independence during the October election because they were not asked to choose. Sir John Swan did not ask them to choose but neither did Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade. The political parties did not raise the Independence issue because they knew it was voting booth poison.

Yet, within weeks, the UBP, at Sir John Swan's behest, decided to demand from the public a debate and a decision on Independence. The public did not expect such a debate nor had it asked for such a debate. The voters did ask the UBP to return to office and get on with solving Bermuda's problems. That is not what the UBP voters got. They got a debate on Independence to which they were almost universally opposed. The results of that demand have been nothing short of dreadful for the Country.

The spectacle of the UBP chasing its own tail and displaying its own divisions is exactly what Bermuda did not need, especially in difficult times. Bermuda's international reputation is built on sensible government and internal stability. Today we have damaged that reputation. We are making the customers who are already here nervous. Clearly we have made the United States nervous.

The Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto is correct because we have scared away business and Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul is just trying to make things look better.

The UBP's success was built on the ability of a diverse group of people to band together to run Bermuda in a constructive way. An unnecessary debate on Independence has gone a long way toward destroying the UBP partnership.

Thanks to the UBP's sensible behaviour for some 30 years, we have the best of the islands and a country recognised and respected for being sane, safe and successful. Yet some members of today's UBP, Swan men all, are ready to shame their party and their Country with fear and division.

For what? For a debate on Independence which reliable polls show the majority of the people do not want. That's nothing short of stupid. For the UBP, of course, it may also be suicide.