rantings,'' a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.

Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness was responding to Opposition calls for an equal role in talks on the future of land used by the US Navy, the Canadian Armed Forces, and the United Kingdom's Royal Navy.

The closures of Bermuda bases used by all three foreign Governments were announced recently. The Canadian base has already closed and the other two are to close in 1995.

"There will be no equal role for the Progressive Labour Party in the matter of consideration of the bases' closures,'' Mr. Edness said yesterday. "The Government has the responsiblity given to it by the Bermudian people in the October 5 general election to lead in matters of importance to the country, and that is what it intends to do.

"Premier Sir John Swan and his advisers have the matter well in hand,'' Mr.

Edness said. "He is not going to be pushed into doing something silly by PLP rantings.'' Neither Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade nor Senate Opposition Leader Mr.

Milton Scott should publicly call for an "equal role'' in the base talks, Mr.

Edness said.

"It reduces the sincerity of the offer they made to help, because they are by definition introducing a critical element into the whole affair,'' he said.

"We know what they are doing and it is time they stopped. Either they wish to genuinely assist or create political anxiety.'' Mr. Edness said the United Bermuda Party Government was just as concerned about the base closures as the PLP, but "unlike them, we are not choosing to make the matter political.

"The PLP offer has been noted and will be worked into the process in due course. Meanwhile, I expect them to be publicly supportive, not indirectly critical of the Government, by innuendo and calls for bi-partisan committees.'' Earlier this month, Sir John announced he would appoint five committees to look at how the US Base land would be used and how the Civil Air Terminal would be operated. And he vowed not to muzzle a PLP voice on the committees.

Yesterday, Mr. Edness said he did not know exactly when the committees would be named, but work was active behind the scenes on their make-up, as well as the resources and expertise they would require.

The contents of a US Defence closure plan expected early in the New Year would also affect how Government proceeded, he said.

Mr. Edness offered no assurances that the PLP would be represented on any of the committees. "It's going to be a matter for the Premier to decide,'' he said. "I should think he will discuss that with Mr. Wade.'' Neither the UBP nor the PLP had all the answers to the base closures, but the best answers could be found by all parties and the private sector working together.

Mr. Wade's comment that the PLP had been asking for the return of base lands for 30 years was not helpful, Mr. Edness said.

"Suh thoughtless comment has no regard for the economic contributions the bases have made to the Bermudian economy and the welfare of all Bermudians.''