Due to an editing error, a story in yesterday's paper incorrectly referred to Kim Young as the Progressive Labour Party candidate in Paget East. She is the candidate for the United Bermuda Party.

Voters in Devonshire South and Paget East go to the polls on May 6 to elect new MPs following the resignations of former Premiers David Saul and Sir John Swan. In the third in a six-part series, Raymond Hainey profiles Kim Young, who is running for the Progressive Labour Party in Paget East.

Kim Young is a wannabe politician with an emphasis on the personal touch.

And it seems to be paying off -- the political newcomer triumphed in a United Bermuda Party Paget East primary, easily beating challenges from Government Senate Leader Lynda Milligan-Whyte and UBP backroom man David Sullivan.

But Mrs. Young has already been hit by a political broadside -- from UBP maverick Sanders Frith Brown, who is standing on an Independent Unfettered Bermuda Party ticket in a bid to embarrass Government, rather than the Opposition Progressive Labour Party.

But she brushed off Mr. Frith Brown's challenge to a TV debate like a veteran, saying, in effect, she had more important things to do -- like knocking on doors in the constituency.

The party's blessing in Paget East may make an actual by-election in the Government stronghold little more than a formality, but Mrs. Young is not counting her chickens before they hatch.

The manager of the Bookmart in Hamilton said: "People are pleased to see you.

Seeing someone on television doesn't give you a good one-to-one with people, which is what they want.'' Mrs. Young, a Bermudian who came to the Island from Australia as a nurse more than 30 years ago, has, despite her lack of political experience, served on a host of public bodies.

And the mother-of-three and stepmother of two -- as befits the former chairwoman of the Women's Advisory Council -- she has a special affinity for problems of women and young people.

On changing her tack in public service, she said: "If you are in the House of Assembly you have more clout. Before, I always had to go through Ministries.

But I have ideas and thoughts and I want to carry more of them through.'' She added her early training as a nurse also helped her in dealing with people as well as issues.

Mrs. Young said: "People who go into the nursing field are usually very caring -- they try to make things better.'' And she also said that more women were needed in Parliament -- partly because they often look at issues from a different perspective from men and partly to fairly represent the population and because just over half the Bermudian population is female.

Mrs. Young pointed out that sensitive issues concerning women in the workplace and social issues urgently needed attention.

She said: "We must have equal pay for equal work, legislated maternity leave or family leave benefits and we need to look at the quality of childcare on the Island -- and I really believe we need alternative schooling for those children who are being disruptive.'' She backed the war on drugs, saying she would probably support most of the National Drug Commission's recommendations in a forthcoming report.

She also wants more done to combat violence -- particularly against women and domestic abuse.

She said: "It's been a keen interest of mine for years. We need to change our response to domestic violence and improve that response.'' And she recommended special seminars for the judiciary in a bid to increase their sensitivity because she said sentencing in violence against women cases "appears to be light'', although she stressed you could not get the full story without hearing all the evidence.

Tomorrow: Devonshire South National Liberal Party candidate Charles Jeffers.

FACT FILE Age: 53 Profession: Book store manager Political history: Former chairwoman of the Women's Advisory Council "We must have equal pay for equal work, legislated maternity leave or family leave benefits and we need to look at the quality of childcare on the Island -- and I really believe we need alternative schooling for those children who are being disruptive.''