when all five Independent candidates were crushed between the two main parties.

Crashing spectacularly out of the House of Assembly was once-leading Independent candidate Stuart Hayward, who tumbled to the bottom of the poll in Pembroke West Central with 299 votes. He lost to United Bermuda Party candidates Mr. Jerome Dill and Mrs. Ann Cartwright DeCouto, who polled 701 and 698, respectively.

Mr. Hayward's defeat was clear from the outset as he trailed the other candidates in his constituency by a considerable margin from the first quarter count. The result was in sharp contrast to his 1989 victory, when he polled 30 percent of the vote and broke Pembroke West Central's image as a UBP stronghold. Despite the resounding defeat, he does not believe this is the end of the Island's Independent politics.

The electorate voted along party lines in anticipation of a close outcome, Mr.

Hayward said. They were not protesting against Independents.

Pembroke West Central was one of several constituencies which last night saw a closely fought battle. The Progressive Labour Party was leading at the half-way count.

Ms Neletha Butterfield, who received 559 votes, and running mate Philip Perinchief, who took 542, said they had pulled in most-ever PLP votes in Pembroke West Central.

"Party polarisation has prevailed,'' Mr. Hayward said last night as he left the polling station. "This is not so much about Independents and Stuart Hayward, but the whole atmosphere of fear of a change of leadership.'' He said he was "disappointed'' by the result, but did not believe the outcome was a bad reflection on his track record.

"There is no doubt that the UBP has been working in the constituency like never before,'' he said. "This, combined with the politics of fear -- a fear of any change there might be -- resulted in a win for the party.'' He thanked his campaign team for their hard work, and vowed to continue working as a community activist, which he had been doing before being elected to Parliament.

"As far as Parliament is concerned I think I was the right man at the wrong time,'' he said.

Mr. Hayward's view that Independent politics could still have a role in Bermuda's future was not shared by his opponents last night.

A victorious Mr. Dill, who ran against Mr. Hayward, claimed the election outcome clearly demonstrated Independent politics in Bermuda "was dead''.

"Any vote for an Independent or a National Liberal Party candidate is a wasted vote,'' he said. "Ultimately, people had to make a decision as to which party would form the best Government and that is not going to be an Independent or the NLP.'' Of the remaining four Independent candidates, women's rights activist Patricia Gordon-Pamplin did best. Running in Warwick East she took two percent of the vote with most of her 68 votes being plumps.

The worst performance by an Independent was that of marijuana activist Gershwin Smith, also known as "high priest'' Mohatma Shiloh. He only managed to pull in three votes in Hamilton East despite his claim, "I have a safe seat in every constituency''.

Long-standing St. George's North Independent candidate Albari Assalaam took only four votes. Singer/contractor David Burch, who ran in Warwick West, took 23 votes.

DAZED -- Independent candidate Mr. Stuart Hayward seen shortly after he went down to defeat in Pembroke West Central.