Sir John made his comment after Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade refused to bring forward his motion in the House of Assembly to kill plans for a Commission of Inquiry on Independence.

Earlier, the Senate had said Mr. Wade's motion should be dealt with before it would consider the Independence Referendum Act 1994, which would pave the way for an Independence referendum this year.

Government wants a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the pros and cons of Independence and report back before Bermudians are asked to vote.

Mr. Wade had warned he would not bring his motion forward unless he received a commitment the Progressive Labour Party would have more representatives named to Government committees dealing with the future of the US Bases.

"His comments through the media virtually amount to attempting to blackmail the Government into doing what he wants with respect to these Bases committees,'' Sir John said outside the House of Assembly. "That was a position Government could not accept or live with.'' All eyes were on Mr. Wade yesterday as Speaker the Hon. Ernest DeCouto read the Opposition Leader's motion calling on the House to reject Government's call for a Commission of Inquiry on Independence.

"Mr. Speaker, the matter is carried over,'' Mr. Wade said.

Outside the House, Mr. Wade said Government's intransigence on the Base committees left him no option.

He was satisfied Government was not going to act on his request and said he would likely move his motion when the House resumed after the Easter Break on May 6.

Sir John described the PLP Leader's move as "most unfortunate''.

"I think he's done a disservice to the process itself and to the community and to some of his own supporters,'' the Premier said.

Now it was a question of what the Senate did, he said. "My hope is that the Senate will get on with the motion.'' It was up to Independent Sen. Alf Oughton, who moved the motion saying the Senate should wait for debate on Mr. Wade's proposal, to put forward a motion to reconsider the matter, Sir John said.

Sen. Oughton said he was "a little perturbed'' over Mr. Wade's action and would consider his position over the next few days.

While "I understand his frustrations'' over the Base committees, "it's unfortunate, really, that he didn't debate it today and get on with the thing,'' Sen. Oughton said of Mr. Wade.

He added that he felt Mr. Wade would have acted as he did regardless of the Senate motion, and there was some question whether the Governor would have appointed a Commission of Inquiry while the Opposition Leader's motion was still before the House.

Mr. Wade said the Commission of Inquiry Government had proposed "may well be illegal,'' and the Senate should study the matter carefully.

He said he was not overly concerned that the Premier would ask the Governor to appoint the Commission of Inquiry before the referendum legislation was passed.

"Should action be taken before our motion is debated that we deem to be illegal or unconstitutional, we shall make representations to the British Government directly, and we shall see questions put down in the House of Commons regarding this matter,'' Mr. Wade said.