Former National Liberal Party leader Charles Jeffers is calling for a new leader to start a party from Bermuda's grassroots, insisting: "Somebody out there has to know the hour has come."

Mr. Jeffers says the Island desperately needs an alternative to a Government led by a Premier many dislike and an Opposition many consider unviable.

Third parties have tried and failed several times before — including Mr. Jeffers' NLP — but he now believes there's enough unrest for it to work this time.

"I believe in the time of crisis that leaders emerge. I know of some people who are really, really concerned and really want to do it," Mr. Jeffers, 67, told The Royal Gazette.

"In times of crisis, leaders emerge. Maybe somebody has to borrow the words from Michael Jackson's song, 'I'm looking at the man in the mirror.'

"Somebody out there has to know the hour has come. Maybe some people need encouragement and need to be drafted into it. The need is there. Somebody has to step forward.

"People have to do some soul searching and say: 'If I'm approached, am I prepared to take on the role?'"

Parties which have made unsuccessful attempts to break the Progressive Labour Party and United Bermuda Party's dominance in the past include: the NLP, formed by four expelled PLP MPs including Mr. Jeffers in 1984; the Bermuda Democratic Party, formed by PLP dissidents in 1967; and Khalid Wasi's short-lived All Bermuda Congress which formed before the last General Election but didn't field any candidates.

Mr. Jeffers said the NLP didn't get enough support because voters wanted to give the PLP a chance — but that was 20 years ago.

He said: "Now people say we have tried UBP, we have tried PLP, and we are not happy with either. But neither are [they] upset enough to feel comfortable to go and vote on the other side.

"Hence the call. We think now if there were a third party, a party made up of people disaffected from both sides, there could be a real possibility of success.

"One of the biggest concerns I have is that the UBP is an ineffective Opposition. They have a lot of internal problems.

"Let's face it, if you look at the fact that they have lost two members you can imagine how many others are in the background complaining.

"People just feel the Government is going in the wrong direction, but the UBP should disband. The UBP is standing in the way of another entity that needs to take its place."

He said the new party would need to be started by fresh faces, who could then try to attract support from established politicians.

"I believe there are members of the UBP for sure, and there may be a couple of members of the PLP too, who would make the move," said Mr. Jeffers.

"But it has to be a people's movement — not something started by politicians.

"It's going to have to come from the ground up. Simply because who trusts a politician?"

The latest poll results show Dr. Brown's popularity has hit a new low, with just 27 percent of voters in favour of him. Despite that, the UBP is losing ground on the PLP.

Mr. Jeffers said of the Premier: "You know, I like him as a person. If you look at his bearing, he looks like a leader, he certainly speaks well, there's no question. He has a reputation for getting things done. The problem I have is his dealing with fellow human beings who may not be on the same page as he is.

"I have some concerns on his handling of people. I don't know how much consulting he does, but my feeling based on what you see is that he's either not seeking advice or not taking advice.

"It saddens me. I remember saying when he was elected as leader he has the potential of being the greatest leader we have ever had in this country."

Reflecting on Dr. Brown's dismissal of demonstrations against his leadership, Mr. Jeffers said: "The Premier can say it doesn't matter what these people think.

"As it stands now, he's probably right. Nothing will make any difference until there's a perceived threat to the status quo.

"The one thing that needs to happen in Bermuda is we need to be able to get away from the accusations and all the innuendo of race, because if we don't, we are trying to build a community based on fear and based on race.

"It's a shame when as a black person if you express views and thoughts which are not in line with the Government you are termed to be a tool of the minority.

"Another party started primarily by white people will not work in this country. Any blacks that get involved in starting any party would have to be strong and beyond reproach as far as being called tools of whites is concerned."

Mr. Wasi has called for the UBP's financial backers to put their funding towards a third party instead.

But Mr. Wasi would be unlikely to run such a party after his by-election defeat in Southampton West Central last December, when he collected just 24 votes.

Mr. Jeffers said that should not put off those hoping to start a new party.

"I do not believe that Mr. Wasi's defeat was a good barometer," he said. "The sad thing about politics is that it becomes almost a popularity contest. I believe a lot of people like him; he's a pleasant person to talk to, and he says the right things.

"But somehow he's never been able to be effective in this type of situation. I have not taken time to analyse and figure out how come."