Long-winded discussions to establish who will run against Dame Jennifer Smith in St George’s North are winding down, The Royal Gazette can report.But reports that former United Bermuda Party MP Allan Marshall has been selected as the candidate are incorrect.“The candidate for district number one should be resolved this month,” said One Bermuda Alliance Chairman Thad Hollis.In August OBA leader Craig Cannonier said the party had selected its candidates for the general election and it was incorrect to say it had been having trouble filling the slots.“We have chosen all of our candidates. And we will choose the time that we release them,” Mr Cannonier said at a press conference in late August.Insiders have said that St George’s Mayor Kenneth Bascome will most likely be announced as the St George’s North candidate but they are now suggesting that he is playing hard to get, and discussions continue.Asked about Mr Marshall’s chances of being selected, Mr Hollis said: “Allan Marshall has been an approved candidate for over a year but he has not been adopted by a constituency.”He added that the OBA had conducted candidate interviews with more than 75 people.“We’ve more approved candidates than there are seats, so we have a plethora, a cornucopia of expertise to serve this Island.”Six general election candidates remain to be announced by the OBA — districts one, 14, 20, 29, 32, and 34 — should it field a full slate of 36 candidates.Meanwhile the ruling Progressive Labour Party has only to roll out the candidate for district 14 which can safely be assumed to be Premier Paula Cox, the incumbent.Of the six remaining OBA rollouts, observers are taking a keen interest in St George’s North, a marginal which former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith won in 2007 by just 25 votes.Mr Hollis said all the other constituencies have been decided.Mr Marshall would not confirm reports on broadcast media that he may be in the runnings, but said he would be happy to serve if asked.“I’m certainly willing to serve in any capacity the OBA feels my skillsets can be used. I have always had an affinity to serve the public. But there is no more I can add with regards to the recent rumour,” said Mr Marshall.In July, Mr Bascome told this newspaper that he had been approached by all three parties and was mulling whether to run for Parliament in the next general election.He said then that his decision would be announced within two weeks. No such announcement has been made, and the Progressive Labour Party has since denied approaching Mr Bascome.Mr Bascome came closest to entering Parliament as a United Bermuda Party candidate in a three-way race during the 2003 election when Dame Jennifer hung onto the St George’s North seat by eight votes.In 2007 Mr Bascome contested the St George’s North seat under the banner of the UBP, but did not succeed in edging out the former Premier.The former PLP supporter ran as an independent candidate in the 1998 general election which saw the PLP sweep to power for the first time.He barely made an impact in that election, the last held under the dual-seat system.Mr Bascome told The Royal Gazette that he recognised that he may be more effective in addressing issues in St George’s as a parliamentarian than as Mayor of the Old Town.He said: “We in the St George’s community are not getting the full support from the Government entities and we are prepared to take the bull by the horns.”