vote.

The major political parties have made it clear that they think Election '93 is very important to Bermuda's future. In fact, the United Bermuda Party made the future their campaign slogan, "Your future depends on it''.

In a very real way, this election is about the future.

The election is about who can get the best US bases deal for Bermuda. The Premier made the election about a bases deal when he undertook top talks in London and Brussels and Washington and the Opposition agreed with him when its leaders spent the first weekend of the election campaign at a meeting in Washington.

The Progressive Labour Party made the election about international company business by going to visit companies to assure them that they would not be put upon or driven out of Bermuda by a PLP government. The companies needed assurance because they do not trust the PLP. We have little doubt that Bermuda is on the verge of a boom in international business if international companies retain their confidence in Bermuda. They will continue to come here and to be here if they think Bermuda has a stable future. If they do not retain that confidence, then Bermuda is in for a very rough period and a decrease in its standard of living.

Because international companies and Kindley Field are such major parts of Bermuda's economy, the election is about which party is best for a good economy. Who can manage best? Who has the talent? Who has the experience? There may be surprises but, unlike election '89, this year the election looks like a straight fight between the two major parties. The National Liberal Party reduced its candidates from 15 in '89 to eight this time, thus announcing that it is on the decline. On the day of election '89 this column said, "A vote for the NLP is a waste because it cannot form a government.'' That is even more true in 1993. We also said in '89 that any independent candidate would only "bleat in the wilderness'' and that has certainly been true.

Like anything important in this world, voting should be undertaken with care and caution and after due consideration for what is best for the voter and what is best for Bermuda.

Those who do not vote really exclude themselves from a say in the affairs of the Country. If you do not vote you voluntarily give up your right to complain later about the way Bermuda is run. Have your say by exercising your vote.

The right to vote in democratic elections was hard won in this world and a democratic vote is one of a person's most precious possessions. Voting is the means by which free people exercise their freedom and not to vote is to abdicate personal freedom. If you do not vote you say, "I don't care what happens to my future, someone else can decide for me.'' It is easy to become blase about voting. In the United States one vote in millions might seem insignificant but Bermudians should not fall into the trap of thinking that their vote does not matter. This country has a history of very close votes in the marginal districts. It is totally untrue that you cannot make a difference. In recent elections, some of the districts have been decided on the thinnest of margins. It seems that this year at least St.

George's North, Hamilton East, Hamilton West, Pembroke West Central and Warwick East are very close. It may be that Smith's South, Warwick West and Southampton West will also be close.

One vote can count. It has long been clear that if you do not exercise your vote, you may make a crucial difference to yourself and your Country.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION