A shake-up of education and law and order — and a pledge to build 100 affordable homes — formed the backbone of the Opposition's reply to the Throne Speech, as the United Bermuda Party moved to an election footing on Friday.

Wayne Furbert slammed Premier Ewart Brown's platform for containing nothing new — before laying out his party's vision which included a voucher scheme to help parents pick a pre-school of their choice.

Local boards will be responsible for staffing and school performance, pledged Mr. Furbert, as he promised to slash red tape and boost accountability through parent satisfaction surveys and published test results.

Bermuda Collage scholarships for students with a B average and 95 percent attendance records would also be introduced under his regime, along with a $15,000-a-year interest-free loan for further studies.

Mr. Furbert also revealed that the UBP wanted to cut payroll taxes for low-income earners — and bring back housing allowances for seniors based on income and not asset worth.

After lambasting the Progressive Labour Party's record on housing, Mr. Furbert pledged to build 100 new homes for affordable rent as well as properties for sale at under $300,000.

He said seniors would get a better deal and hit out at Government for meaningless pension and prescription benefits in the face of an 18 percent increase in standard health premiums.

Mr. Furbert laid out a string of health reforms, including a health clinic to provide free care to seniors with limited or no insurance.

Cash-strapped pensioners would get free prescription drugs and eyeglasses, he said.

A programme to allow duty-free building materials and fast-tracked planning for people building apartments on their homes for elderly relatives was also outlined.

Rolling out a tough law and order programme, the UBP promised to increase minimum sentences for murder, manslaughter and firearm convictions. Parole for drug traffickers would end.

Drug interdiction would also be boosted, with the recruitment of experienced overseas narcotics officers — some of whom would go undercover.

An independent review body would take a monthly look at drug enforcement. And anti-drug and anti-gang behaviour would be taught in schools. However, a young offenders programme to give youngsters guilty of minor offences a second chance would be used in some cases.

Promising "a people-centred government with a servant leader" Mr. Furbert said a whistleblower's act to protect public officials who report Government misdeeds, a binding referendum to be initiated if 25 percent of registered voters signed a petition and fixed-term elections every five years instead of leaving timing to Government's discretion.

Bi-partisan Parliamentary committees would be given more powers to investigate Government activities in public.Asked later if the reply to the Throne Speech was an election platform, Mr. Furbert told The Royal Gazette: "We have listened to the public and it's important now people know where we stand on important issues and what we will do if an election is called."He declined to guess when the election would be. But Opposition sources said they believed Dr. Brown would seek a fresh mandate within the next six months.