A United Bermuda Party (UBP) government would offer all Bermudians the opportunity to participate in Bermuda's success, it was promised yesterday.

At a press conference at the party's headquarters, party leader Grant Gibbons, flanked by four of his candidates for the July 24 poll, fleshed out the party's proposals for a Ministry of Economic Development, which it says will take a "systematic" approach to economic empowerment, as well as rejuvenate tourism with a non political Tourism Authority. The UBP's economic plan, named HOPE for short, is built around Hospitality, Opportunity, Prosperity and Economic Empowerment.

"Ours is a systematic approach to economic empowerment not an ad hoc handing out of favours to people that 'look like us'," said candidate Bob Richards.

Besides the Tourism Authority, the party wants to expand the role of the Small Business Development Corporation and establish an Economic Development Authority.

According to Mr. Richards, the party's candidate for district 24, Warwick South East, the Economic Development Authority will expand opportunity through diversification and economic empowerment, and its initial focus will be the development of the Hamilton waterfront, North Hamilton, St. George's and the former Baselands properties.

"The members of the Economic Development Authority will make things happen," Mr. Richards said.

"They will not wait for opportunities to come to us. They will seek them out. Quite simply they will be doers, not talkers."

Directors of the Economic Development Authority will be "highly respected members of our community with expertise in such areas as finance, technology, tourism, labour and human resources, and the environment," he added.

Mr. Richards said that "core principles" such as sustainable development and ensuring that benefits of development will be broadly shared, will guide the work of the Authority.

"The Authority will work to diversify the economy by attracting new business to Bermuda. They will research potential opportunities in such low impact, high value areas such as tourism, financial services, IT, alternate energy sources, marine science, biomedical research, continuing education and communications."

The Economic Development Authority will establish economic empowerment zones in areas like North Hamilton, which would qualify for special investment incentives.

"Quite simply North Hamilton needs to participate more fully in the economic mainstream of this Island, and with our new HOPE initiative we will ensure that this goal becomes a reality," said Jon Brunson, the party's Southampton West Central candidate.

And the Small Business Development Corporation will see its role expand into matching entrepreneurs with venture capital funders.

The UBP is also promising to training for small businesses in bidding for government contracts and large private contracts. And it says a percentage of government contracts will be dedicated to small businesses, especially those without previous contracting experience.