into Independence have forgotten that they were elected to serve the people.

In a democratic society they are totally entitled to their views but in a democratic society they are not entitled to defy the people who elected them.

The proponents of Independence set out on a path which they knew from their own polls the people did not support. They misjudged the populace which did not buy their views. Instead of facing that fact after fair and open debate, they began maligning anyone who opposed them and holding the people to ransom.

These pro-Independence cabinet members have continued to tear at Bermuda, openly demonstrating their intention to have their way no matter what it costs Bermuda. The one thing they have demonstrated best for the public is that politics and very strange bedfellows are going together.

Disrupting the economy, causing social divisions, frightening the public, maligning anyone who opposed them has all been fair game. Now, because other groups have emerged and are outspokenly opposed to Independence, the pro-Independence cabinet members want to claim that they have been wronged.

They also want to claim that opponents of Independence are dividing the Country. How can the majority in a democracy be said to divide the Country? It's nonsense. A few people who are pro-Independence against the wishes of their party membership and against the wishes of the majority of the Country, created this debate.

The same cabinet ministers keep threatening to resign if the people do not do as they say. Daily, these ministers try to scare us by announcing that they are resigning, a resignation which is automatic anyway if the leader resigns.

To threaten to resign every minute is clearly unpricipled behaviour and it might well be considered blackmail. Then they have the nerve to complain that many people are saying they have lost their way. As leaders they say they will resign if the people do not follow the leader and vote for Independence. Of course they have lost their way. In fact, they have it all backwards. They ought to be voting the way their people want and their people do not want Independence. These cabinet members represent UBP voters and the UBP voters are 90 percent opposed to Independence.

Instead of saying to the voters, "We hear you'', these representatives are saying, "We defy you.'' They then say they regret that the UBP is not united. But the UBP is united against Independence. It is a few leaders who are out of step and creating a division.

The sad thing is that most of these cabinet members have made enormous contributions to Bermuda. They have served and served long and well at considerable personal sacrifice.

But now, realising that they are probably not going to get their own way, they are trying to convince the people that the Country is in crisis. The public must remember that this is just politics, and nasty politics at that. It is not fact. It is political desperation.

There is a proper formula for political change which has worked well in the past. Bermuda has been through other times of political upheaval and emerged stronger. The UBP survived the traumatic days of the going of Sir John Sharpe.

The PLP has survived several splits, first resulting in the old Bermuda Democratic Party then the split which resulted in the formation of the National Liberal Party.

Bermudians are sane and sensible and they love Bermuda. Bermuda is being sorely tried but it will not lose its way. This too has come to test us but we are calm and strong and stable and the people must prevail.