Former Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness has been forced to abandon election canvassing after suffering a serious spinal injury on the campaign trail.

Mr. Edness, now a backbencher, will still fight for his Warwick West seat -- even though he has to fly to Boston to see a back specialist.

But he told The Royal Gazette last night that his supporters would continue canvassing the constituency on his behalf.

Mr. Edness' injury, picked up during door-to-door electioneering, has now become so acute that he cannot walk properly.

And it is even possible he could be out of action until weeks after the November 9 election.

Mr. Edness, 67, will leave Bermuda on Sunday for expert treatment at the New England Baptist Hospital.

He revealed his condition was an aggravation of an old basketball injury, sustained during his college days in the US.

And his political opponent in Warwick West, the PLP's Dr. Ewart Brown, said he wished Mr. Edness a speedy recovery to get back into politics as soon as possible.

Dr. Brown said: "I had heard that he wasn't doing well and had a problem that required him to go off the Island.

"I hope that everything goes well for him and I wish that he will soon be in the best of health.

"People can hold opposing political opinions and still be friends with each other.'' Mr. Edness said: "I want the constituents of Warwick West to know that this is not life-threatening and it is an injury, rather than a sickness or illness.

"I developed a lower back problem about a week or 10 days ago which left me with a chronic pain and made it very difficult for me to walk.

"It's basically a bone which is compressing a nerve. The doctor has been trying to contain the pain here but we haven't been successful and it's been agreed that I will go away to see a back specialist.

"The main problem is that I don't know how much recovery time it could take.

It may be two to three weeks or it may be six weeks. I'm obviously unable to finish canvassing.'' He said he and running-mate Sen. Yvette Swan had wanted to visit every home in the constituency and had met "most people'' in the last five months.

But he added: "This will definitely not affect me standing for re-election.

"The doctors tell me that once I go through the procedures, it should relieve any pain and I'll be fine again.

"It's possible that the treatment may involve an operation but I'm confident that soon I'll be as good as new.

"As a matter of fact, I will be a lot better than I am now. I will be available and healthy and able to represent the people of Warwick West to the best of my ability.

"The thing is that I hurt my back many years ago playing basketball and I have been doing a lot of activity lately which has aggravated it.'' Mr. Edness' Bermuda-based doctors Joseph Francioni and Eugene Harvey have now referred him to renowned US back specialist Dr. Howard Martin in Boston.