candidates -- and an election strategy concentrating on social issues.

The move means all three parties in the fight in the upcoming General Election -- scheduled to be fought mid-October -- are concentrating on people issues.

First up to the starting for the National Liberal Party is expected to be retired insurance executive Ed Armstrong, set to revisit Devonshire North, where he has stood before.

And the party is also expected to announce a first-time woman candidate, understood to be a long-standing party activist.

Party leader Charles Jeffers -- whose party lost its last seat, in Hamilton East, in 1993 -- declined to discuss candidates or policy in advance of today's announcements.

But it is understood the party will field no more than ten -- and probably fewer candidates.

Mr. Jeffers, who flopped in a by-election in Devonshire South last year, caused by former Premier David Saul's decision to stand down and quit politics altogther, would not reveal where he might stand.

But it is understood he could be contemplating a run in tight St. George's South, held by the United Bermuda Party team of Rick Spurling and Grace Bell in the 1993 poll.

Mrs. Bell defected to the Opposition Progressive Labour Party in the last session of the House and will not stand for election again.

Or he may opt for one of the crucial Hamilton parish constituencies, split between the UBP's Maxwell Burgess and Wayne Furbert in the West and Renee Webb and Derrick Burgess in the East.

Both constituencies will undergo boundary changes for the next General Election, opening up the race in both.

Mr. Jeffers said: "We will also be revealing the main part of the election strategy.

"And what we are going to be doing as part of our strategy will be releasing information which will be pertinent to the people.

"We have a general platform but we also want to release our ideas on how we see ourselves fighting the election.'' Mr. Jeffers has already said that the party would not be fielding a large number of candidates and that he was planning a tactical battle in a bid to once more have NLP representatives in the House.

The party -- born out of a split in the PLP -- has traditionally been regarded as taking votes from the Opposition.

But there are signs that that is no longer the case and this time around, the NLP may target the UBP.

Mr. Jeffers also ruled out "spoiling tactics'' as unpopular with the voters and said the party would now be playing for "long-term goals.''