Jon Brunson, MP for Southampton West Central, has a beef with leaders who fail to put the country's interest first.

The most recent culprit, in his view, is Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess because of his handling of the latest dispute with Bermuda CableVision.

"I do think that labour requires good representation and good leadership. I think what we've seen over the last few weeks makes one question leadership," said the first-time MP in a recent interview.

"It's my view that to have a Government MP and the leader of the Bermuda Industrial Union is a conflict of interest and I think post-Fabian highlighted how much of a conflict it can be.

"When the country is in the midst of one of the worst crises in 50 years, the objective for an MP should have been what is in the best interests of Bermuda, Bermudians and other residents. That should have been the primary objective and that's what the Premier spoke about, and yet Derrick Burgess, a member of the Premier's select team, virtually brings the Island to a halt."

He said: "Do you have in a court a defendant representing the victim? Of course not. It doesn't make sense. Government is charged with governing Bermuda - that means all Bermudians and all of Bermuda."

The post-Fabian question should have been "what is the greatest good?" he insisted. "The workers didn't get slate just like everybody else. And just like everybody else the workers didn't get electricity. Bermuda suffered, including the workers."

Mr. Brunson, 42, was appointed Shadow Minister for Youth and Sport soon after being elected an MP for the first time on July 24.

The appointment reflected an extensive sporting background - he has competed nationally and locally in every sport except cricket, has organised the world triathlon championship, coached junior football and even headed up the Bermuda Gymnastics Association.

He pointed out that he was still active at the competitive level in sports such as triathlon and field hockey.

"I handily dealt with the Honourable Minister Dale Butler in the Labour Day Five Mile Race," he quipped.

Mr. Brunson advocates a more structured approach to the development of Bermuda sports. "There are people that work very hard and do an excellent job individually but we need a collective structure," he said.

Bermuda needs to set in place developmental programmes which support those aspiring to be national or professional sports people.

"The key thing about sports is that there needs to be a real commitment on the part of Government and Bermuda."

He said some Caribbean countries had succeeded in developing their sports to the point where they were making a major impact internationally.

"It's clearly because they've made a commitment," he said. "They've made a commitment in terms of time, in terms of resources and they've made a commitment financially for it to happen."

He continued: "You cannot have someone who aspires to be a professional in a sport to have to work a full-time job. Because you are competing at a level where their competition are full-time athletes."

Sports, arts, drama and other non-academic pursuits serve as vehicles for character development and learning life-skills and should be given as much attention as the academic, he said.

"These are the things that are required for our young people to be successful ... We have an academic curriculum, we should have a sports curriculum."

The experience of being an MP has come with some surprises, he said.

"Once you stand on principle and its publicly known some people perceive you differently.

"Being a young black Bermudian people receive you differently - some supportive, some not. What surprises me with politics in Bermuda is that it is seen on a black or white basis and not on a Bermuda basis. And what I'm about is Bermuda and Bermudians and trying to reach beyond the barriers."

Asked what exactly was wrong with race being fundamental to Bermuda politics, he said race should not be the sole determinant of our political life.

He described himself as a "moderate conservative".