The Progressive Labour Party will use an independent research firm to poll constituencies before selecting its candidates ahead of the next general election.

Seventy people are formally seeking selection as candidates for the 36 seats across the Island, the party announced in a statement yesterday.

In a move suggesting an election is imminent, the PLP said it was about to begin the roll-out of its candidates.

However, party spokesman Wentworth Christopher yesterday said no decision had been made over who would run in the Pembroke East seat Government Chief Whip Ottiwell Simmons will vacate at the next election.

“There’s been a tremendous response from 70 candidates,” said Mr. Christopher. “We are still in the process of selecting individuals for specific constituencies, including Pembroke East.”

The PLP statement claimed the party was “breaking new ground” by bringing in the research company to poll constituencies.

Premier Ewart Brown said the move was a “deepening of the democratic process” in the party and across the country.

Candidates will be selected based on the results of the research and recommendations from party branches. Dr. Brown said: “One of the benefits of independent polling in structuring our party’s slate of candidates is that findings from the constituency polls will enable us to field credible candidates, and to compete aggressively, in all 36 constituencies.”

He added: “No Opposition candidate will be allowed a free ride when Bermuda goes to the polls.

“The PLP has kept faith with the people; we have performed very creditably, bringing benefit to all; we have a great story to tell; and with the calibre of the candidates we will field, I am confident that the country will be of the majority view that the PLP remains by far the best option for moving Bermuda forward.”

Responding to yesterday’s announcement, United Bermuda Party Leader Michael Dunkley said: “If the PLP had simply delivered on their promises since 1998 and addressed the issues that are important to Bermudians like housing, education and crime, then they might be able to win an election the old-fashioned way, by earning the people’s trust. Instead they have to boast about the time and energy and money they are spending on political engineering and voter manipulation to try and compensate for their lack of delivery on things that really count.

“We’re quite surprised that they’re just getting around to selecting their candidates. We would have thought that if they were a Government connected to the people, they would have been out on the doorsteps long ago.”

Mr. Dunkley disputed Dr. Brown’s claim that he had kept faith with the people.

“What we hear loud and clear on the doorsteps is that people see this as a Government that has not done enough for them,” he said.

“It is a deeply rooted perception based on nine years of disappointment. The fact is that the PLP cannot run on their record and so they are reduced to polling potential candidates to find out whose popularity can override that record.”

The PLP is in the fourth year of its second five-year term, but many pundits have predicted Dr. Brown will call an election soon, to take advantage of instability within the UBP, whose former leader Wayne Furbert quit last month following a race row and high-profile resignations.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday how Mr. Simmons, 73, was thought to be keen to step aside to make way for younger blood in the party.

Names suggested as a potential replacement for the Chief Whip role include Nelson Bascome, George Scott and Michael Scott.

Social Rehabilitation Minister Dale Butler said yesterday: “I would love to do it, but my guess would be someone like Michael Scott or George Scott, if they are not made ministers.

“Whoever it is would need to work closely with the Opposition and with the party leader. It’s not an easy job.”

Pembroke East PLP branch chairman Kim Simons was unavailable for comment yesterday.