night with a three and a half hour speech on the economy.

Mr. Hall claimed the reason for his marathon attack on the Government was to stop Cabinet Ministers from "grandstanding'' what they saw as successes over the economy.

He said that he would tell a "bedtime story'' until the House of Assembly's radio audience was in bed, soundly asleep.

The Shadow Environment Minister rose to his feet shortly before 9 p.m. and did not sit down until 12:10 a.m., speaking often to a sparsely populated House of Assembly.

He was immediately attacked by the Hon. John Stubbs of the United Bermuda Party, who said Mr. Hall provided "a tragic example'' of why "the greatest threat to freedom of speech was the abuse thereof.'' Earlier, Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul said the United Bermuda Party foresaw the recession in 1989 and led the Island through it with experience and competence.

"I challenge any member of this House to identify any other country that has handled the recession better than the UBP Government has handled the recession in this little Island home of ours,'' Dr. Saul said.

Mr. Hall argued Government did not manage the economy. For Dr. Saul to take credit for Bermuda emerging from the recession was like "the rooster taking credit for the rising of the sun,'' he said.

The Hamilton West member said that this could be his last speech to Parliament depending on the voters in his constituency in the imminent general election.

Mr. Hall said: "I have heard that it will be an August election and we are ready to manage the economy.'' Deputy Speaker Mr. Ernest DeCouto said he would allow Mr. Hall to proceed with his speech so long as he did not repeat himself.

Mr. Hall said: "I intended to read Bermuda a bedtime story. I intend to take my seat when Bermuda is finally off to sleep. That is when Government Ministers will want to make their statements. When they want to grandstand.'' He was speaking to a motion put by National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell asking the House to take note of the state of the economy.

Debating ranged between lively and often fierce exchanges to quieter moments when few members remained in the House.

The debate is the last of this current session and could be the last of this present Parliament if an election is called during the summer.

Please see Pages 4 and 5 for last night's debate which will also be continued in Monday's newspaper.