pubic approval. So far, what we can detect in Bermuda is a good deal of mouth from the politicians, some strong anti-Independence feeling from hard core members of the United Bermuda Party and the same old statements from those who traditionally support Independence. But a groundswell? We see nothing like that.

It seems to us that a lack of enthusiasm for such an important step as Independence has its dangers. A half-hearted move to Independence with a large number of people frightened by the prospect, a fair number of people angry and resentful, a good many uncertain and those in favour unwilling to promise success, would only be a formula for disaster. Surely any country moving to Independence needs more than a majority of the people to accept the burden of making Independence a success. It would seem to us that a small majority of those voting in a referendum, which would not be a majority of the over 18 population, should not be sufficient. It might be that a majority necessary to go to Independence should be 70 percent of those voting in a referendum thus attempting to ensure a majority of the adult population.

As we see it, any lack of enthusiasm for Independence stems from Bermuda's success. The reality is that a majority of the people recognise Bermuda's success and wonder why we are considering fixing something which isn't broken.

Most countries have happily moved to Independence from a position of "have not'' and Bermuda proposes now to examine Independence from a position of "have a great deal''. It is much harder to make a decision to change a good thing than it is to change something which is not so good.

There are also people who agree with Mrs. Ann Cartwright DeCouto that Bermuda has "too much on its plate'' right now. People think that as Bermuda emerges from the recession and pushes to improve tourism and faces the closure of the bases and relaxation of currency control is no time to add Independence to the Country's agenda.

It seems to us that if Bermuda wants to face the possibility of Independence squarely and if Bermuda hopes to make the best decision in the best way, then Bermudians need to make the decision together. What we have now is anything but togetherness.

The United Bermuda Party parliamentarians are split on the issue of Independence. Three senior politicians made their positions very clear in the House of Assembly on Monday. Two of those are still Cabinet ministers and their position is opposed to Sir John Swan's position. We think it is clear that a large majority of the UBP's ordinary members are opposed to Independence and could revolt if Bermuda moves to Independence. The Progressive Labour Party also has problems. The PLP leadership supports Independence and appears to have assumed that those who voted for it at the October election favour Independence. Polls would indicate that that is untrue.

The PLP leadership talks about the need for an election and not a referendum on Independence. Clearly their motives in asking for an election are selfish and have little to do with Independence and a good deal to do with the closeness of the October election and their hope to win another election. Then too, the PLP leadership may be setting up for a boycott of a referendum which would show the referendum result in doubt, render it useless and embarrass the UBP.

Yet, PLP leader Mr. Frederick Wade was so ill informed and so inaccurate on the floor of the House of Assembly about the US bases that we shudder at the thought of his performance before and during Independence. If Mr. Wade made emotional but inaccurate statements of the sort he made in the House while conducting international negotiations he would certainly embarrass Bermuda.