filling Cabinet posts. The Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge and his supporters are notable by their absence. The result is several new Cabinet Ministers who are not Cabinet material and a Cabinet which is too white for a country which is 60 percent black.

The refusal of members of the Woolridge camp to serve the Country by moving in to support the new Premier is wrong and damaging to both their Country and the United Bermuda Party. The Independence fight is over and the leadership fight is over. Both have been decided in a democratic way and it is time now for a political unity which puts Bermuda first. It is also time to listen.

Politicians seem to think all these political shenanigans are some kind of fun game. But the people know the Country is being damaged and the people are looking for an end to all the tiresome games and want a Government which gets on with Bermuda's business. Right now some politicians are demonstrating an almost pathetic immaturity.

The Woolridge camp will not be happy and may demonstrate that on the back bench. They are not included in the Cabinet, except for the Hon. John Barritt, at least two of them, Mr. Woolridge and Mr. Trevor Moniz, having refused to serve. Now they are watching pro-Independence campaigners being promoted. The promotion of the Hon. Quinton Edness to Home Affairs and Government Leader in the House will not be popular. We also have grave doubts if the Hon. Wayne Furbert can manage at Transport and Aviation. The Hon. Pamela Gordon stays at Youth and Sports where she has been a success. We can only hope these Ministers have heard the public's anti-Independence message and will let that matter drop.

The basic Cabinet appointments were predictable.

The Hon. David Dodwell at Tourism is a big question mark. A good many people wanted the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge to stay at Tourism but there is a danger in leaving people in Cabinet ministries for too long. Can Mr. Dodwell revitalise Bermuda's tourism? As a Cabinet minister he is untried but he does have a good deal of personal tourism experience. It will not be easy for Mr.

Dodwell because there is much to be done.

Education is a tough job which has been the ruin of any number of politicians, including the last Ministers. The Hon. Jerome Dill will have to wrestle with public concern and mistrust of the mega-school, a concern which the previous Ministers refused to face. The debate on Independence and the mega-school are classic examples of politicians trying to force on the people things they do not want. That's not good government. It's bad judgment.

This was not the time to take the Hon. Grant Gibbons away from his work on the Bases transition. But adding it to Finance at a time when the Country has to watch its pennies will give Dr. Gibbons a big job. Can he do it? Yes, because he is clearly one of the most capable Cabinet ministers.

There are some refinements in Cabinet portfolios, with greater emphasis on women's issues, drugs, crime, which clearly are an attempt to address public concerns. Having a Minister responsible for public safety indicates the priority the new Premier places on law and order. He is correct because there has been serious public concern. But under Mr. Edness, who has not done well against drugs in the past, the Police may be talked to death with little action.

The main message to come out of this Cabinet is that the Independence fence-sitters prevailed. The new Premier himself, Dr. Gibbons, Mr. Dill, the Hon. Leonard Gibbons, Mr. Dodwell, Mr. Tim Smith and Mr. Harry Soares were all on the fence. Some of them would be hard pressed to win a primary in their constituency. We think they now owe it to the people they represent to make their Independence position clear. Three quarters of the voters opposed Independence. We have a right to know what the Cabinet ratio is.