began on Friday as MPs talked around the clock about the economy.

And racism, and education, and immigration, and tourism, and just about anything else that came to mind.

The House of Assembly began its sitting at 10 a.m. on Friday and did not adjourn until 2.33 p.m. on Saturday.

The 281 hour sitting, minus one lunch break, was "by far the longest ever,'' in Bermuda, retired House clerk Mr. John Gilbert said yesterday. "I'm certain it's the longest since 1968, when our Constitution came into effect.'' For 223 of those hours, MPs debated a motion of National Liberal Party Leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell to "take note of the present state of Bermuda's economy.'' Bemused Bermudians wandered in and out of the Sessions House or tuned in and out with their radios as the debate droned on. Many MPs stayed in the chamber all night. Some, like Environment Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons and Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mrs. Lois Browne Evans, were once seen sleeping soundly in their seats.

Despite fierce verbal jousting, there was a carnival atmosphere at times.

Those who went home to bed were greeted with derisive hoots when they returned with fresh clothes in the morning.

Mr. Darrell spoke first and then became irrelevant, as United Bermuda Party and Progressive Labour Party MPs took over. The sole NLP MP was variously praised and scolded for introducing his "vacuous motion'' on the last sitting day before summer, and likely before an election.

The sitting might have gone longer, but in an apparent UBP tactic the Motion to Adjourn came to an abrupt end just as it began. The lone MP seated on the Government side, St. George's South MP the Hon. Sidney Stallard, announced there was no quorum.

The debate was wide ranging in both subject matter and the level of emotion, but the dominant theme was whether Bermudians would be better off under the UBP or the PLP after the next election.

An election is expected this fall and must be held no later than May.

Government members hammered on their familiar warning that the PLP could not manage the economy. They went a step further, saying exempt companies were looking for ways to leave the Island if the PLP won.

The Opposition said the UBP was trotting out "bogeymen.'' And PLP MPs poked holes in the economic record about which Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul crowed.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan, the last of 33 speakers in the marathon, warned Bermuda was "at a crossroad,'' and living in "potentially perilous times.'' On the international scene, the potential for closure of the US Naval Air Station and changes in US tax laws with respect to Bermuda posed challenges "of critical importance,'' Sir John said.

Removal of skilled Americans who ran the Civil Air Terminal, in particular, would have "enormous'' financial impact, and "could cause us to either raise taxes or further cut services.'' Citing his recent trip to meet with US President Mr. Bill Clinton, Sir John said Government was "pursuing that relentlessly.'' To prevent the closure, "we've got to use our contacts and our resources in Washington to achieve that end.'' Sir John did not go as far as some UBP MPs, who said officials from offshore companies had already approached lawyers about leaving the Island in the event of a PLP win.

"I've tried to give the Opposition the benefit of the doubt,'' the Premier said. "It's just that they've never been tested.'' International companies "have enormous investments at risk, and they're not going to sit back and run the risk.'' Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said the suggestion international business chiefs were "buying tickets on early bird flights out of here in July and August'' was UBP propaganda.

"I've spent some time the last two months speaking with heads of exempt companies,'' Mr. Wade said. "One thing that we've known for years is the Island's stability is the first thing they look to when choosing Bermuda for their business.'' For a two-party democracy to be considered stable, as Bermuda was, "both of those parties have an even chance and equal ability to run the country,'' Mr.

Wade said.

"You could not give Bermuda a stable rating if the Opposition party could win the election but could not run the country.

"Members do the country a disservice...by putting in the heads of that community that only the UBP in this country have the ability to run the country,'' he said.

On the bases, Mr. Wade said Bermuda was important to the US as part of its defence. Also, "I dislike the idea of ten percent of our land mass being occupied by an alien body without payment of sufficient rent.''