BANK manager Mariea Caisey has revealed her intention to run in the St. George's mayoral election later this month.

And she has the backing of the town's Senior Alderman Kenneth Bascome, who has ditched his own plans to run for Mayor.

Former Deputy Mayor Ms Caisey will be looking to go one better than when she lost out by just two votes to E. Michael Jones in the St. George's mayoral election of November 2003.

Mr. Bascome, who stepped down from his role as a United Bermuda Party Senator last year to spend more time concentrating on his role as the Old Town's Senior Alderman, had started canvassing the locals in his own mayoral campaign last weekend.

But once Ms Caisey decided to throw her hat into the ring, Mr. Bascome dropped his own aspirations in order to support her.

A snap election was called last week by incumbent Mayor Jones, who has said an early poll would be in the town's best interests.

A variety of imminent major planning issues, such as the impact of mega-cruise ships, the redevelopment of the old Club Med site and ideas to expand pedestrianisation, meant it would be advantageous not to have a "change of team" at the Corporation of St. George later this year when debate on those issues would be under way, the Mayor argued.

Mayor Jones has spelled out his vision for St. George's in interviews published in the past two weeks in .

The campaign will be short, as nominations must be in by January 19 and the vote will take place on January 26.

Ms Caisey, who is manager of the St. George's branch of the Bank of Bermuda, confirmed her intention to run and pledged to give the Corporation a new focus, if elected.

"I want the Corporation to be the way it used to be," Ms Caisey said. "Lately, it has been dabbling in things that the Government should be taking care of."

She cited examples such as plans for a theme park in the town and the Mayor's comments on the plan to widen the Town Cut to accommodate Panamax mega-cruise ships before the publication of a study on the implications.

"I would like to see the Corporation concentrate on the things it owns and the residents of the town ? to get back to what the Corporation is supposed to be doing," Ms Caisey said.

"And I would like to see more public meetings and more involvement of the people of St. George's in the decision-making process."

Asked whether she represented any political party, Ms Caisey said: "I don't like to bring politics into the Corporation. One has nothing to do with the other. It is obviously important for the Corporation to be able to work closely with the Government."

She declined to give an opinion on the proposed introduction of the huge new breed of cruise ships, before the study on the consequences of widening the Town Cut had been published.

Ms Caisey, 53, first ran in a Corporation election in 1997, when she narrowly missed out on winning a common councillor's seat.

But she comfortably defeated four opponents at the ballot box in September 1998 in an extraordinary election to replace common councillor Leon (Jimmy) Williams, who died that summer.

Two years later, she topped the polls in the vote for Alderman and was elected Senior Alderman, as well as Deputy Mayor.

As well as her five years of service with the Corporation, Ms Caisey has been active within the St. George's Chamber of Commerce, the St. George's Foundation and the World Heritage Committee.

She also served a two-year term as the first female commodore of the St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club from 1997.

Mr. Bascome, who, as a UBP candidate, missed out by just eight votes in the 2003 General Election on defeating sitting Premier Jennifer Smith, gave his full support to Ms Caisey.

"A team is only as strong as its leader and I think Ms Caisey has strong leadership skills," Mr. Bascome said.

"She is open to the opinions of others and is more than approachable. And the skills she has in her work will be a great asset to the town, especially when it comes down to fiscal prudence."

Mr. Bascome said he had previously agreed to keep out of the mayoral race, should Ms Caisey choose to stand. And as soon as she had made her decision early this week, he had dropped his campaign. He explained why.

"I believe I bring certain skills as a worker rather than as a leader, and I am more of an asset to the community of St. George's as a worker," he said.

Mr. Bascome felt Mayor Jones had put too much emphasis on what he personally would like to see happen in St. George's, as opposed to finding out what the community wanted.

"I believe St. George's has enormous potential, but in order for that to come to fruition, we need to have the support of the residential and business community," Mr. Bascome said, adding that the Corporation had to pay more attention to the needs of the town's residents.

Mr. Bascome believed that one of several hot issues for voters to consider in the coming election was the future use of the former Club Med hotel. He advocates using some of the buildings to temporarily house some of Bermuda's homeless.

Mr. Bascome also supports the introduction of a parking voucher system, modernisation of the town's sewerage system, the complete abolition of double taxation and the rejection of plans to introduce Panamax cruise ships. He stressed that his views were not necessarily the same as Ms Caisey's.