always difficult to decide how illness will play on the doorsteps, it can bring out the sympathy vote or it can make people think that they do not want to be represented by a man who is incapacitated.

Mr. Edness has been careful to point out that this is a painful medical condition which can be corrected rather than a debilitating disease which might leave him out of action. His running mate, Yvette Swan, has proven herself in the Senate and as a very effective member of Cabinet. She will continue the campaign but people do like to have their election say to both candidates.

No matter what, Mr. Edness' need for overseas treatment comes at a difficult time for the UBP which very much needs to hold Mr. Edness' seat and where it would dearly like Dr. Swan to win.

Warwick East? The general view seems to be that the PLP's Dale Butler is as "safe as houses'' for the UBP seat held by John Irving Pearman and that Alex Scott can keep his seat without too much threat. The UBP's Bob Richards does not appear to have grabbed the public imagination despite top service for the UBP as their leader in the Senate. Larry Scott, also a UBP Senator, is known as a liberal and that has appeal in Warwick East but he is not a Warwick person.

The other major battle is Hamilton Parish West. The constituency passes back and forth between the UBP and the PLP. PLP candidate Arthur Hodgson has both won and lost Hamilton West in previous elections. His running mate, Randy Horton, is a popular sportsman with a troubled past who is not from Hamilton West. It seems to us that the UBP's Wayne Furbert is popular but Maxwell Burgess must be struggling to overcome his unpopular promotion of McDonald's.

Conservationists may find him hard to accept.

Surprisingly St. George's is now something of a question mark. In the St.

George's North constituency much will depend on the strength of the Opposition Leader's coat tails. Jennifer Smith was able to take Leon "Jimmy'' Williams with her last time but her hand-picked running mate this time, Delaey Robinson, is something of a question mark.

If the volatile Kenny Bascome does run as an independent he could well win in much the same way that Stuart Hayward did once in Pembroke West Central. Mr.

Hayward remained an independent but Mr. Bascome, once elected, would move to the PLP. He is very much around and about in St. George's, which Delaey Robinson has not been, and might well split the vote with Jennifer Smith.

The St. George's South constituency could be vital to the UBP. Rick Spurling appears to be secure in the "Spurling seat'' but his UBP running mate is untested as is the PLP's Rev. Wilbur Lowe although the PLP's Arthur Pitcher showed well in 1993. Rumours and accusations are flying in St. George's South which we are always sad to see during elections.

There are reports that the Premier's sister, Patricia Gordon Pamplin, is running well in Pembroke East Central for the UBP but at best that is a very long shot. Hamilton East is also complicated by rumours and accusations but, given the large success of the PLP's Derrick Burgess in the by-election, it would now seem to be safe PLP territory. We say that despite reports that Stephen West has been polling well there and has a "down home'' appeal in the district along with his running mate Angelita Fox who is also through-and-through Hamilton Parish, and a Hodgson at that.