protect women and children if they succeed in the general election.

Progressive Labour Party St. George's North candidate Ms Jennifer Smith, National Liberal Party St. George's South candidate Ms Cheryl Pooley, and Warwick East Independent candidate Mrs. Pat Gordon-Pamplin made the promises at a public forum on women's issues.

The forum -- the first of its kind -- was organised by the Women's Resource Centre and was televised on ZBM from Cathedral Hall.

The United Bermuda Party declined an invitation to send a representative.

But the candidates present made the most of the hour-long debate.

They stressed, to the in-house audience of close to 50 people and viewers, the importance of women in Bermuda.

And they agreed that more needed to be done to protect women in the home and workplace, and youngsters throughout the Island.

Fielding questions from the Women's Resource Centre, the Physical Abuse Centre, The Coalition for the Protection of Children, and others, the candidates said, if elected, they would support: Reform of the 1943 Child Protection Act, including setting out clearly what the age of maturity will be, within the next 12 months; Allowing the Police to initiate prosecution in cases of assaults on women -- similar to what happens in Quincy, Massachusetts; and Providing treatment for abusers and their victims.

The candidates said they would also like to have statistics on sexual abuse and other assaults easily available to the public.

Noting there is no facility in Bermuda for young people seeking refuge from abuse in their homes, Ms Pooley called for such a place.

She also suggested more emphasis should be placed on sexual abstinence.

But, she said, that had to be balanced with sex education, particularly on contraceptives, for those who were already sexually active.

Ms Smith, who noted she did not like the term "women's issues'' because the issues women are concerned about should be of concern to everyone, said she would like to see more responsible day care.

Because, she explained, "regardless of what the Education Act says, the policy is when children start school at five, if they do not know their alphabet and do not know numbers, they will be placed in remedial classes and start off at a disadvantage''.

Ms Smith also recommended combining some pre-schools and primary schools at the same site.

This, she said, would be better for students and parents.

And she also advocated the introduction of "flexi-time'' on the job.

"If we understand the importance of women in Bermuda then we will know how to keep them satisfied and happy,'' she said. "But that is a business decision.'' Ms Pooley added that Government should be the leader in that area.

But all candidates agreed that if women wanted to see their concerns addressed they had to be willing to be involved.

Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin, who said women's rights is probably one of the highest concerns of Warwick East constituents, said it was time to put a stop to the assumption that women are second-class citizens.

"If we want to get some of these things done, we need to take on the powers that be,'' added Ms Pooley who revealed that she would get out of politics if she is not successful in this election.

"Being a leader requires a lot of sacrifice,'' she admitted. "But if you can't lead, please give us your support.'' But Ms Smith said: "Bermuda has some dynamic, capable, outstanding women who have always been involved on the front line or behind the scenes in politics''.

"I don't think it is important to have a woman speaking for so-called women's issues because we also have men who care,'' she said, adding that it was up to women to sensitise their brothers, husbands, and fathers who are not.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION