Inquiry on Independence, Progressive Labour Party Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said yesterday.

In the House of Assembly, Mr. Wade served notice of a PLP motion calling on the House to reject the Hon. Sir John Swan's call for an inquiry on the pros and cons of Bermuda remaining a dependent territory or becoming Independent.

The inquiry is to be followed by a referendum on Independence late this year.

Government's Independence referendum legislation is set to be debated after the Budget is delivered on Monday.

Outside the House, Mr. Wade told The Royal Gazette that Government had "no mandate...to do anything about Independence,'' having raised the issue in neither the election campaign nor the Throne Speech.

If Government was not going to respect the electorate, it should at least respect Parliament and seek approval for the inquiry, Mr. Wade said. Instead, Sir John ordered it by "Cabinet decree.'' The Premier has invited Mr. Wade to participate in recommending names for the seven-member commission, but "we expect this motion to be debated first,'' Mr. Wade said.

The motion will be placed on the Order Paper next Friday. Government business can be moved ahead of an Opposition motion.

Also yesterday, Mr. Wade said he met briefly with Sir John and voiced Opposition protests over plans to debate the Independence referendum legislation on Budget Day.

But the Premier was adamant the debate would go ahead on Monday, he said. Mr.

Wade said the move was "contemptuous'' of Bermudians, who "need to focus on the Budget'' on Monday.

NO CHANGER ON GOV'T AIRPORT POSITION HOA Government has not changed its position on privatising the Civil Air Terminal, Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess told the House of Assembly on Friday.

"The Government feels that no further action (on privatisation) should be taken now, and not at all without the approval of Parliament,'' Mr. Burgess said. "Once an autonomous Airport Authority has been successfully established, Government will give further consideration to this option.'' Mr. Burgess was responding to a Parliamentary question from Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister, who wanted more information on the Minister's recent trip to Britain.

If Government was not looking at privatisation, why was Mr. Burgess receiving input for a financial plan from the British Airport Authority, "a private company operating privatised airports in the United Kingdom?'' Mr. Lister asked.

Mr. Burgess said it would be up to the new Airport Authority to develop a financial plan, but Government was considering the secondment of an experienced official from the BAA to help with the start-up.

Mr. Burgess told Mr. Lister that he had received no reports related to the Airport on his recent trip. Mr. Lister had said that if Mr. Burgess received any reports, he should table them in the House.

The Minister promised to keep the House informed of developments related to the Civil Air Terminal.

MAN IN CRITICAL CONDITION AC A 26-year-old Warwick man is in critical condition after colliding with a truck.

The accident occurred at 7.30 a.m. yesterday morning near Raynor's Gas Station on Middle Road in Southampton.

A Police spokesperson said the man was travelling east around a bend and collided with a truck that was travelling west.

The rider, who sustained serious injuries, is in the Intensive Care Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in stable but critical condition.

The accident is under Police investigation.