The United Bermuda Party unveiled a draft bill to widen economic opportunity on Friday.

But it stands no chance of becoming law as the Opposition is barred from putting forward laws which have financial implications.

That did not matter to Shadow Minister for Race Relations and Economic Opportunity David Dodwell. ?We wanted to emphasise how strongly we felt by going to the time and trouble to draft a bill,? he said on Sunday.

Mr. Dodwell described his Economic Empowerment Bill 2004 as the most important initiative the Opposition had brought forward since the last election.

He said it would give chances to those who had been barred from opportunity.

?Why are we focussing on this?? he asked rhetorically.

?We feel it is absolutely fundamental to this country. We recognise as a party that people have been excluded from opportunity.?

On Sunday, Mr. Dodwell added the bill showed his party was serious and had done a lot of work on economic empowerment. ?We?ve been working on it for about two months,? he said.

A simple take note motion would have allowed politicians to talk at length about economic empowerment in the House of Assembly, he said, however, a draft bill ? no matter how futile ? was tangible evidence of the UBP?s dedication to the subject.

The bill would:

Commit Government to allocating 20 percent of its spending on goods and services to small business;

Train small businesses on bidding for Government contracts;

Require businesses getting Government contracts of more than $5 million to sponsor small businesses through a mentoring programme;

Help secure financing from local banks and broker venture capital for small businesses with Government contracts.

The plan envisages an office of economic empowerment within the Finance Ministry.

?We need to find an opportunity to get to the level playing field that people talk about,? said Mr. Dodwell. ?We are not in Government so we cannot debate this bill so, we put down a motion that will focus on the bill.?

He said he hoped the tabling of the bill would encourage wider discussion when it goes to the House when it reopens in February.

?We cannot debate the clauses of the bill but this bill is ready to go, it could be implemented tomorrow if the House was ready to accept it.?

Mr. Dodwell doubted Government would adopt the bill, however, emphasised they could if they deemed it necessary. ?It?s been checked by lawyers, it?s totally legitimate.?

The UBP will spend the next few months until the House reconvenes talking to the community about the bill, he said. ?I?m already talking to small businesses ... We intend to hold a small business conference to collect thoughts sometime in January or February.?

Government Whip Ottiwell Simmons said he was not sure if his side would even let the Opposition debate the bill but he confirmed it could never become law.

The bill also aims to spread opportunity among small businesses by limiting each small business to a maximum of $750,000 of Government business per year unless there are no other bidders on the tender.

Mr. Dodwell said the Office of Economic Empowerment would:

increase the participation of all Bermudians in the economy;

and, establish a national policy on economic empowerment to promote fair access to Government contracts.

He disagreed that the draft legislation could be considered a waste of time. ?This is something people are talking about, we are told it is an issue,? he said.

?It?s just like any other debate, a few hours in Parliament one evening ... We?ve Bermudianised economic empowerment ... If we?re going to become Government, we?ve got to show we are capable.

?This is the action part. This can be done.?