General Election based on emotion rather than issues. A number of recent statements by the PLP seem to be based more on emotional appeals to the public than on reality.

First there is the advertising which urges people to "take back your Country''. There is an unpleasant implication that Bermuda is somehow occupied by enemy aliens who are illegally in control. Bermuda has duly elected democratic governments and to imply otherwise seems to us to be unnecessarily divisive. Yes, there are political and philosophical differences but they are among Bermudians.

Now we have the Leader of the Opposition telling the PLP's annual delegates conference that for the first time in 35 years the party is on the brink of victory. That is hardly true since the two parties were only separated by a very few votes at the last election and something very similar was true on at least one other occasion. The PLP spent some years falling back from the brink of victory not because of the United Bermuda Party's successes but because the PLP had a serious internal split which led to the formation of the National Liberal Party. In a very real way the PLP removed itself from being close to victory.

Then there is the extraordinary statement quoted from Jennifer Smith which said: "We must stay focused and keep our eye firmly on the prize''. Political victory is not and should not be a "prize''. You do not win anything tangible. There is no reward except the people's mandate to govern the Country. God forbid that an election victory by any party should plant in the heads of politicians or in the heads of their supporters any "visions of sugar plums''.

Then, in an attempt to distance the PLP from a former by-election candidate, she is quoted as saying, "...we are involved in as deadly struggle to take control of this Country for the first time ever''. Struggle, yes, but deadly struggle seems again to imply that horrible things will happen to some Bermudians if the PLP does not win. There is no evidence to support that implication nor is it inherent in Bermudian politics. Those who do not support the PLP are neither deadly nor are they devoted to damaging their Country.

They are simply political opponents with somewhat different views doing the best they can in their way for Bermuda.

We can only hope that this emotive language is not a rather desperate and misguided attempt by the leadership of the PLP to win at any cost. The PLP may be in danger with this rhetoric of creating very bitter divisions at a time when Bermuda should be working hard at togetherness.