The United Bermuda Party has pledged to eliminate payroll tax for people earning $42,000 or less if it wins the General Election.

In a partial platform released over the weekend, the UBP also promised to commit 20 percent of all Government contracts to small businesses and provide financial support so families can afford day care up to preschool age.

'Agenda For Change — Plans For A Better Bermuda' also includes a raft of measures to tackle Bermuda's education crisis and affordable homes shortage, while repeating the party's intention to promote good governance.

The 30-page document, put together before Premier Ewart Brown called the election for December 18 last Friday, serves as a summary of the UBP's stance on how to attack key issues facing the Island. A complete platform will be published in the coming weeks.

According to the booklet, the payroll tax pledge comes because Bermudians have paid "far more taxes than necessary" under the PLP.

It says payroll tax revenue increased from $150 million in 1998 to $270 million last year, with land tax doubling from $26 million to $52 million in the same period.

"Although many of our countrymen can shoulder the tax increases, many low-income earners are falling behind," it states.

"The next United Bermuda Party Government will help ease the burden on struggling Bermudians by putting more money in their hand."

The 20 percent of Government contracts being pledged to small businesses represents about $70 million a year, the document claims.

It says small companies would also be given training on how to bid for those contracts, while the tax structure on small businesses would be reviewed to ensure fairness and encourage economic growth.

"The United Bermuda Party is committed to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to share in Bermuda's economic success," it says.

"Beyond helping people prepare for employment and ensuring workplace fairness, we can also empower entrepreneurs to put their dreams into action."

The booklet declares the UBP's support for recommendations from the Hopkins Report, a damning study of public schools earlier this year which called for a huge overhaul of the education system.

"We question, however, whether Premier Brown's Government can successfully implement the recommendations, given the lack of trust, lack of communication and lack of urgency demonstrated to date," it states.

It pledges to improve teaching by, among other ideas, having a licensed teacher in every classroom and ploughing more money into training. Its methods to solve the housing crisis include building 500 affordable homes over five years and examining all Government property to identify where they can be set up. It says it will also create a permanent facility to provide transitional housing to homeless people.

Proposals for good governance include creating an Integrity Commission which would set standards for people in public office and define corrupt practices by parliamentarians and civil servants.

The party would adopt a code of conduct for all parliamentary members; introduce random drug testing for MPs and Senators; establish a system of absentee ballots; give people the right to petition the Legislature for issues to be debated in the House of Assembly; give people the right to initiate a referendum on issues of national importance; pursue fixed-term elections; set up whistleblowers legislation to reduce fear of speaking out among public servants; set up a non-political Attorney General; and hold weekly press conferences with the Premier or Deputy Premier and other Government members to allow the press to raise any question.

It states: "After multiple scandals, unprecedented mismanagement, undelivered promises, secrecy and supreme arrogance, many people have lowered their expectations of political leadership.

"The United Bermuda Party believes it is essential to reverse the decline and restore people's faith in the ability of Government to deliver a better Bermuda for all. The United Bermuda Party commits to transforming the ways in which the Island's business is conducted. We will put more power in the hands of the people. We will make Government more accountable, more transparent and more responsive."

Other topics include crime, care for seniors, environment and strengthening St. George's.

Agenda For Change is expected to go on the UBP's website by this evening. Visit www.ubp.bm.