compared the prospect of a PLP Government to the abolition of slavery.

The clash over the issue between the Opposition leader and Premier Sir John Swan brought race to the forefront as an election issue.

So the audience at Mr. Wade's eve-of-poll press conference could not help exchanging puzzled glances when he described how he had worked his candidates hard on the election trail.

"I have a new title,'' he said. "I'm called Slave-master.'' *** A rare thing happened last week.

Three candidates of different political persuasions saw eye-to-eye at a public debate.

There was no mudslinging, no name calling and no grandstanding.

There was something else too: they were all women.

The participants, Warwick East Independent candidate Mrs. Pat Gordon-Pamplin, NLP St. George's South candidate Ms Cheryl Pooley, and PLP St. George's North candidate Miss Jennifer Smith, gave straightforward answers to questions on women and children in Bermuda.

Oraganisers and attendees were delighted. Some said the meeting showed how different politics would be if it was in the hands of women, not men. It would be more agreeable and less confrontational, they said.

A subsequent radio report on the meeting by a male radio broadcaster seemed to support that contention.

The meeting, the broadcaster said, was marked by agreement on almost all issues. Then, as though searching for a newsworthy angle, he added that "there were some interesting points of difference''.

*** It's not often politicians praise the coverage they have received during an election campaign.

But Mr. Frederick Wade was generous in complimenting the media at his election eve press briefing.

He said the party had depended on broadcasters and print journalists to get its message out.

"I've been very happy with the factual reporting of the campaign, on the part of all of the media,'' he said.

Facts had generally been accurately reported. However, editorial comment was another matter.

"We're not too happy with that. But that's the way it is. We live with that.'' OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION