Wayne Furbert, a former United Bermuda Party (UBP) Cabinet Minister, is planning to resign his position as party chairman so he can make another run for Parliament.

Mr. Furbert, 46, won his first bid at elective office in the 1993 General Election and was immediately appointed a Cabinet Minister by then Premier Sir John Swan. He served as Transport Minister before taking over the Ministry of Health and Family Services - which included the housing portfolio - before losing his Hamilton West seat in the 1998 General Election which brought the Progressive Labour Party into power.

This week he told The Royal Gazette that he planned to retake his Hamilton West seat.

"I have never had a desire to have another seat," he said.

Mr. Furbert and his running mate Maxwell Burgess seized the two Hamilton West seats from Eugene Blakeney and Julian Hall in 1993, only to be ousted in 1998 by Randolph Horton, now Minister of Cutural Affairs, and Arthur Hodgson, now in the ruling party's backbenches.

If Mr. Furbert is to succeed in Hamilton West he would have to do a lot better at the polls than the last time around when he got just 539 votes compared to Arthur Hodgson's 773 and Mr. Horton's 790 votes.

The election must be called by November, 2003, and be held no more than three months after Parliament is dissolved. It is becoming increasingly likely that it will be held under the current dual seat system instead of the revamped single seat system preferred by the ruling party.

"I believe Bermuda people can't wait until the next election is called," Mr. Furbert said. "I think they are tired of a Government that's just show and not telling like they should - whether it is the economy, reports they haven't published, the Bermuda Housing Corporation... I think people just want to get on with it."

And the UBP is ready even if the election is called today, he added.

"If the election were called today, we will field 40 candidates," he said. "Some of our people are not yet in place, but if we need to get them in place we will."

Between 60 and 80 people are available to run for the UBP, according to Mr. Furbert.

He dismissed a suggestion that his party was struggling to find black candidates.

"No way, that's absolutely nonsense," he said.

"They (the ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP)) may be struggling to get white candidates but we are not struggling to get black candidates."

The UBP's slate of candidates will be a team that reflects Bermuda, he added.

"I think we are going to field a diverse group that Bermudians can be proud of. We are the best party - you would be surprised at the candidates we do have that we have not revealed."

The UBP has announced that Roger Russell, a former PLP member, will be a candidate for Pembroke West Central and that Suzanne Holshouser and Lawrence (Rocky) Fox will be the party's candidates for St. George's South.

Mr. Furbert would not confirm reports that at least three current UBP parliamentarians are about to retire from politics.

"In good time those people that want to step down will make themselves known. I don't know how many, some may still be thinking about it. If two or three people say they are stepping down we will be able to replace them."

When asked about campaign funds, Mr. Furbert said that the party will have the funding necessary to fight its campaign.

While the party had its "challenges", he said he did not think raising campaign funds will be any harder now that the UBP is in Opposition.

"Bermuda has changed - people have to realise that," Mr. Furbert said.

"All our debts are paid off. We are ready to fight the next election. All that's left is for her (Premier Jennifer Smith) to announce the date and you will see a team that you have never seen before."

He added that no longer will the party be saddled with the perception that it only serves the interests of an elite few.

"This time it's for everyone."