Cabinet Ministers who support Independence have done their best to openly promote Independence every time they could. They took part in one sided presentations and tried to influence the people of Bermuda to go for Independence. These ministers took their turn and had their say. Everyone listened. But many people did not agree.

Now, the Independence supporters are "upset'' and threatening anyone they can because some other UBP Cabinet Ministers and MPs are promoting their case for the public to vote NO. The UBP knew the results of its own polls. But the UBP leaders who knew Bermudians did not support Independence, and who knew the history of Independence as Bermuda's most divisive issue, initiated an Independence debate. The debate is difficult. It is devisive. But these same people who forced on Bermudians a debate Bermudians did not want, are now trying to blame the divisions in the Country on the people who did NOT start all this.

We must remember that.

When people who are pro-Independence speak about costs, they always produce moderate figures. Those figures are estimates and they are based on the costs the first few years after Independence. Those costs will be low because, aware of public concern, politicians will be careful in the beginning. We should be working on estimates of costs five years after Independence. The high living, the empire building, the keeping up as Mr. and Mrs. Ambassador and the tax support would start then.

We must remember that.

A UBP pro-Independence Minister has been blaming Britain for the disaster Bermuda suffered at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. It had nothing to do with Britain. Bermuda could not make up its mind on South Africa. Bermuda let the team go to Edinburgh and, after they were there, said no don't compete, then said go and then no come home, after the games started. If Cabinet had said no from the beginning, that would have been accepted by the public and the athletes. It was lack of Government leadership, indecision and misled athletes which cost the Hon. Maxwell Burgess his House seat, not Britain. We must remember that.

We have been told that pressing problems are not being neglected during the Independence debate. Combatting drugs and reforming education are held up as two of the areas which are being addressed. The public knows that the drug situation is getting worse and that education is in chaos because of the mega school.

We must remember that.

The Hon. Wayne Furbert is quoted as saying that he will not be issuing the same threats to resign as some of his Cabinet colleagues.

Mr. Furbert said: "If the people say it's `no' then I will live by the decision.'' Sometimes it takes someone new.....