select their nominees to contest the seats vacated by former Premiers David Saul and Sir John Swan. Here, the candidates in the two constituencies say why they think they should represent their party.

Devonshire South Michael Dunkley When Dr. Saul made his surprise announcement at the end of last month, my name immediately surfaced as someone interested in contesting for the seat.

Although at the time I was an approved candidate, this announcement of my interest came as quite a surprise to me as I had not even discussed the possibility with my family, business partners and close friends. I was however confronted and motivated by their support but also the support for me as a candidate that immediately started pouring in from all over Bermuda and more importantly from all through Devonshire South.

It would probably be safe to say that many capable people have steered clear of politics altogether because of all the accompanying negatives. Among them, public criticisms, the party politics, and long hours in the House. Nobody ever said that anything in life would be easy.

I wish to enter politics for the simple reason that I was fortunate to be born and raised in the best place in the world. I have worked hard and at the same time been blessed with a wonderful wife and family.

I would like to give something back to Bermuda, to do what I can to help make this beautiful island a great place for our children, to give them a future.

As we approach the next century, it is imperative that we deal with the issues at hand. We live in a very complicated and difficult world. We need good strong leadership.

My father, who had a tremendous influence on my life, always believed that we should try to make a positive difference. He encouraged us to stand on our own two feet and not to make any excuses. I have tried to live by this principle.

I also try to apply good solid principles of common sense and fair judgment. I am not a procrastinator, I am a doer. I am not a loner, I am a team player and a communicator. I am not afraid of hard work or difficult decisions.

I have the experience to get the job done. My involvement in the past has been widespread and varied. My record speaks for itself. In every endeavour that I have ever undertaken I have dedicated myself to getting the job done correctly.

There is no greater privilege or honour than to serve your constituency and your Country. If elected, I pledge to be diligent, honest and responsive to the needs of all the constituents in Devonshire South, whether the issues are at a national or parochial level.

Joe Gibbons I became involved with the Party in 1976 at the Southampton East Branch. A year later, as a response to pressures from within the Party, I was part of the group which formed the Under 40 Caucus, a vocal pressure group which became responsible for changing the way in which the Party ran itself. I was to become the second President of the group and serve on the Party's Central Executive.

I became an Approved Candidate in 1988 and began attending Caucus at that time. In 1990 I considered making a challenge in Pembroke West Central, but withdrew and worked for the Deputy Premier, Jerome Dill. I was hired by Sir John Swan as Executive Officer, and was responsible for party organisation running up to and through the 1993 election.

My loyalties are to the United Bermuda Party. As a constituency MP, I will attempt to demonstrate to others that what I have been saying about representation can be translated into deeds. I will work closely with residents, through canvassing, clinics, and strong branch interaction.

As an individual, I am known to be competent and a sound administrator. My focus is action oriented and I am known as a strong achiever. Within political circles I am known to be vocal, conservative, and passionate about my beliefs.

Personal concerns and focus: A more co-operative style of Government at all levels A need for greater efficiency within the Civil Service Greater community efforts to ensure the success of our education system More private responsibility for our communities and young people A revamp of the way in which the Party conducts some of its affairs Greater accessibility of information on Government services An open and honest approach to key issues A properly coordinated effort to manage issues today which will point us in the direction we want to go in the next 50 years Strict management of our environment and natural resources Most importantly, the United Bermuda Party must rebuild the confidence and support of its core supporters which it put into jeopardy during the internal problems of the last two years. Faced with personal and growing social problems, voters have become angry and disillusioned and want members who are prepared to put personal interests aside. The task of representation is not an easy one, and for each constituent there may be a different concern, but through dialogue and a genuine concern the party can regain this support.

Paget East Lynda Milligan-Whyte Bermuda is at the crossroads as we move towards the opportunities of the next century.

Our Island needs able, visionary and dedicated leaders who understand the needs and goals of all Bermudians, have the vision to take Bermuda into new areas of financial and business activity and the sensitivity to preserve the quality of life that we now enjoy.

The voters of Paget East want to know that they have a voice in Bermuda's future and want their representative to be accessible and accountable to them.

The potential threats to Bermuda's success can come from within our shores. We must understand and respect the diversity of races and cultures which make this Country unique.

Each person and ethnic group in Bermuda is an essential part of the whole. By working together we can build a stronger community which prides itself on being an example to the world on social and economic cooperation between the different races and cultures.

The selection of the Hon. Pamela Gordon as our new Premier is a manifestation of this. The United Bermuda Party's success over the past 30 years rests on its success in being the party of inclusion.

Dr. Grant Gibbons and I, as a team, embody that successful philosophy of the UBP.

As the world moves into the information and high technology fields, new opportunities will develop for Bermuda and its people.

Bermuda must prepare all its people to participate fully in these new areas.

Our youth must be computer literate in order to compete in this fast-changing world and businesses must be creative in order to remain competitive.

Just as Bermuda has carved out a leadership role for itself in the offshore financial world, it can also play a significant role in the computer software and information industries.

Further threats to our success can come from increasing levels of crime in Bermuda. Strong measures must be taken to deal with the proliferation of drugs. Apart from the confiscation of assets of persons found guilty of drug trafficking, we must also impose longer sentences on such offenders.

I look forward to following in the footsteps of my uncle, the late Teddy Tucker, who represented Paget in the House of Parliament.

David Sullivan The other evening in my speech to the constituents of Paget East I said `...I am David Sullivan and I would like to be your representative in Parliament....'. While that statement on the face of it seems to be a plea it is meant to be a commitment. While on the campaign trail these past few weeks I have proven to myself what I have felt all along, that is, that constituents wish to have a relationship with their representatives. They wish to enjoy a level of comfort with those who represent them. This of course does not mean a blind following or indeed total agreement on every issue. After all they, like me, are individuals with different social and economic needs and various cultural-based values. Certainly what we all have in common is the safety and stability of our island home -- Bermuda.

I feel that my ten years in the United Bermuda Party at both branch and national levels have prepared me to be a representative with a solid knowledge and understanding of our Party. My accomplishments with many other civic organisations and community bodies has given me a sensitivity for our community's needs and frustrations. As a husband and father I understand all too well the most valuable contribution that family values have within the success of our society. I firmly believe that this is the best held secret to the solving of many social ills. Through respect, support and encouragement of these time-honoured values we will see remarkable improvements in our social fabric. The correlation between strong family units and successful communities is without question in history. Drug dependency, rape, murder and other social unrest flourish in the environment of weakened family values. To borrow a phrase: "There is nothing so wrong with Bermuda that cannot be fixed with what is right with Bermuda.'' I look forward to the challenges that await the job of representative and trust in the good judgment of the voters of the United Bermuda Party of Paget East.

Kim Young The topic of violence and disruption in our public education system has come to the fore once again. Our children deserve to learn in a safe and orderly environment. I have for some time expressed my opinion that we need to find alternative schooling for our disruptive students who are creating havoc and preventing those who want to learn, the opportunity of a quality education.

Children who are disruptive in our schools are likely to have a myriad of social problems. Often they come from disjointed and violent homes and bring those problems to school each day. Others, for one reason or another, have missed out on some basic concept somewhere along the line and consequently cannot understand or keep up with the rest of the class. Some children are unable to learn in the traditional way and need an alternative style of teaching. Those children will naturally draw attention to themselves in a negative way.

We need to get the causes of the problems and the best way to solve these concerns is to take the disruptive child out of the classroom. Alternative schooling with the support of counselling, educational testing, and the involvement of parents should be instituted until the child is able or agrees to abide by school disciplinary standards. The child could then be allowed to re-enter the regular school system.

It is unfair to those students who want to learn and to the disruptive student to allow this mayhem in the schools to continue.

The concept of alternative schooling will be one of my proposals if elected in Paget East.