Defeated UBP leadership candidate John Barritt yesterday pledged his full support for Dr. Grant Gibbons.

As Dr. Gibbons unveiled his new Shadow Cabinet, he and Mr. Barritt shook hands publicly and insisted they would work well together as a team.

When asked if he fully backed Dr. Gibbons, Mr. Barritt said: "Absolutely. I said it from the outset and I've said it publicly already. "The public should appreciate that when we as a group found out Pam Gordon was leaving, before anyone showed any interest in being leader, we decided and made clear in a deliberate and conscious way, to see if we could find consensus.

"Ultimately, it came down to Grant and me and we worked through it over a number of evenings. There was a vote, it has been done. Anyone in a political party can put themselves forward and there can only be one person chosen. What the other person has to decide, which in this case is me, is to accept that going into the process and accept it going out."

Dr. Gibbons said: "John and I have been colleagues and friends for some time. He's been most gracious. There was a more open discussion than I've experienced in the past in the selection of the leader and I think that bodes well for the future."

Later, Dr. Gibbons firmly denied he had selected his new ministers to reward those who voted for him in the leadership contest. He said he did not consider some ministries more important than others, and those moved to other posts should not consider it a demotion.

"Very clearly in my mind, all these positions are important, and there would not be portfolios created if they weren't," he said. "I made it clear that there are a number of issues on the economic infrastructure and human resources side and you have got to have all these pieces together. People may have different perceptions, but there's no one portfolio that's necessarily more important than another."