We think the whole debate on Independence originates from the strange behaviour of politicians. It did not originate with the people because Bermuda went through a General Election without a mention of Independence. It did not arise from pressures applied by Mr. Walton Brown's Committee for Independence because that committee, presumably concerned that raising Independence would hurt its favoured Progressive Labour Party, had been very quiet during the election.

Independence was raised by United Bermuda Party politicians, against the wishes of the majority of their own voters, but with the support of the United Bermuda Party Cabinet.

Why? We think because politicians see benefits for themselves that the public does not see for the general population.

A United Bermuda Party which followed the wishes of its supporters would have taken an opposite course. It would have moved to strengthen the Country rather than move the Country into a danger zone. Instead of implying that something was wrong in Bermuda and that Bermuda actually needed to be independent as a cure, the UBP politicians should have been making Bermudians proud by emphasising the successes of Bermuda in a difficult world.

Let's look at a very short list of how that might have gone.

The United Bermuda Party might have started by being proud of itself for winning yet another election at a time when conservative governments were unfashionable. Instead the UBP developed a bad post-election hangover and desperation jitters and began to grab at straws.

The Premier could have emphasised for all Bermuda the successes of the last 30 years which have made Bermuda the best of the Islands and one of the most envied countries in the world. That success was not an accident. It was done by Bermudians for Bermuda. With bad UBP management Bermuda might well have been an overbuilt, sleazy, package resort, with chain restaurants on the beaches and big cars on the streets. We might have had a proliferation of banks laundering drug money and untold numbers of non-Bermudians servicing undesirable companies. Or, of course, we might all still be trying to grow onions for export.

The Minister of Health and Social Services could have emphasised how sensible it is that we have health insurance when the United States is fighting about health care and how well served we are by our medical profession. He might also have told us how well housed we are compared to most other countries.

The Minister of Community Affairs might well have pointed out that we can, if we wish, have our own flag and our own "national anthem''. Other dependent territories simply do it and use their anthem and their flag at such things as the Commonwealth Games.

Despite the mega school fiasco the Minister of Education could have made us proud about how many of our young people get into and attend college, here and abroad, and the large numbers who receive financial assistance.

The Minister of Finance, of course, had the easy job and the list of financial achievements he could enunciate would make most finance ministers drool.

The general list is much longer and includes the long way we have come since the end of segregation. It also includes pride in the look and the life of Bermuda, the high state of the arts, preservation and conservation, and the excellence of many of our facilities.

But none of that happened. The hierarchy of the UBP chose to bolt towards Independence as a catch-all solution rather than emphasising the good things and working on the problems like the bases and education and race. The UBP had a chance to unite Bermuda in celebrating what it has achieved. Instead, the UBP joined the PLP which constantly tells us how terrible Bermuda and Bermudians are.