About 30 people stood up to be counted on Thursday evening at a meeting to gauge public opinion on the subject of abolishing political parties.

And the Anti Party Politics with Real Ordinary Voter Endorsement (APPROVE) spokesman Richard Powell told The Royal Gazette that he was optimistic about the group's future.

"The most Government meetings get is about 15 people showing up and we had 30. That's two times as many people.'' And he added that the majority of the audience were behind the idea.

"Twenty six people said they wanted to expand on the idea and develop it further. The next step is to have individual discussion and probably have further public meetings.'' The group placed an advertisement in the daily newspaper asking if people were "prepared to stand up and be counted'' on the issue of abolishing party politics.

The meeting at Wesley Methodist Church Hall was opened by Mr. Powell who owns Lines Food and Liquor Mart on Ord Road in Warwick.

He told the audience that the plan was to petition Government to do either a white paper or green paper on the topic of abolishing party politics with a referendum to follow.

With 50 percent of the electorate supporting the motion it would have to be seriously considered, he argued.

"What I really want is the people of Bermuda to sign a petition calling on Government to investigate itself,'' he said.

"There has got to be something we can do to make Bermuda better than it is now. Government should do a study on how it can make itself better but it will have to be forced because it won't do it voluntarily.'' He explained that other founding members of APPROVE were not making themselves known because there was a "genuine concern about retaliation''.

"I respect that. I keep telling people that I'm too stupid to keep my mouth shut.'' National Association for Reconciliation co-founder Dr. Eva Hodgson said she thought party politics was destructive and was a reason behind Bermuda's racial division.

But she added that she felt APPROVE was beginning in the wrong place.

It should begin by trying to get rid of racism in the society and the racial divide to make a genuine democracy possible.

And she added: "I can not support getting rid of party politics until the Progressive Labour Party governs at least once.

"This is not because I think they will govern better but the reason we need a PLP government for at least one semester is because if it does not happen then all the people in society that think it is impossible for a predominantly black party to govern will continue to believe that.'' Mr. Powell stressed that APPROVE was not established due to a fear of the Progressive Labour Party getting into power.

The idea was thought about years ago but community interest in the politics was only being generated now on the eve of an election.

"We do not think that a Progressive Labour Party will be any different. We do know that people are more politically aware right now and they are fed up with party politics enough to get rid of it.

"It is time to do it because people are aware of it, not because of fear of a PLP Government.''