  We re-analyze the age distribution (dN/dt) of star clusters in the Small
Magellanic Cloud (SMC) using age determinations based on the Magellanic Cloud
Photometric Survey. For ages younger than 3x10^9 yr the dN/dt distribution can
be approximated by a power-law distribution, dN/dt propto t^-beta, with
-beta=-0.70+/-0.05 or -beta=-0.84+/-0.04, depending on the model used to derive
the ages. Predictions for a cluster population without dissolution limited by a
V-band detection result in a power-law dN/dt distribution with an index of
~-0.7. This is because the limiting cluster mass increases with age, due to
evolutionary fading of clusters, reducing the number of observed clusters at
old ages. When a mass cut well above the limiting cluster mass is applied, the
dN/dt distribution is flat up to 1 Gyr. We conclude that cluster dissolution is
of small importance in shaping the dN/dt distribution and incompleteness causes
dN/dt to decline. The reason that no (mass independent) infant mortality of
star clusters in the first ~10-20 Myr is found is explained by a detection bias
towards clusters without nebular emission, i.e. cluster that have survived the
infant mortality phase. The reason we find no evidence for tidal (mass
dependent) cluster dissolution in the first Gyr is explained by the weak tidal
field of the SMC. Our results are in sharp contrast to the interpretation of
Chandar et al. (2006), who interpret the declining dN/dt distribution as rapid
cluster dissolution. This is due to their erroneous assumption that the sample
is limited by cluster mass, rather than luminosity.
