United Bermuda Party and some key developments should be revealed in coming months.

Whether or not leader Pamela Gordon stays or goes off to pursue her talked-about plans for a legal career like her "Queen of Plea Court'' daughter Veronica Daley , is up in the air. But unless someone steps down and forces a primary, there appears to be a dearth of suitable successors. In fact, Hester is told there may be some interesting resignations to make way for new blood -- with some in the party hierarchy believing the only way forward is for the UBP to be a truly diverse party. Perhaps at that point Unofficial Leader Sir John Swan would be ready to jump in? In the meantime, she hears that some in the party are concerned about the increasingly conservative nature of John Barritt Jr.'s politics from the Opposition wilderness. The former hack turned lawyer who once counted legal trailblazer Lois Browne Evans as his hero, has been firing off about the PLP to the Press at every opportunity, from his relentless pursuit of the Premier over the secretive Civil Service Review to condemning the Government for abolishing the death penalty.

However, there are always two sides to a story, or should that be a party, as Hester has heard that while some UBP-ites think John Jr.'s gone "right off right'', others are thankful for the newly beardless one's lonely efforts at keeping the party's name in the Press. Either way, she's sure he'll have something to say on the subject.

John Jr. might also have something to say on word from Hester's Government sources that Premier Jennifer Smith is apparently not merely content to review the "relevancy'' of existing historic portraits in Government buildings, having already "reorganised'' those in Parliament, but she's now given orders for each and every Government Ministry to hang a photographic portrait of yours truly on their walls. Let's hope the Premier's glam shot will inspire all her adoring civil servants to work even harder! The media coverage of Bermuda's bold bid to force itself into the forefront of the world's economic movers and shakers has had more holes than a chunk of Gruyere cheese. But Hester can assure that that's not the fault of the Island's St. Bernard-like newshounds -- in the Press and telly. Apparently even Premier Jennifer Smith's Cabinet Office staffers have confessed they're not even quite sure where she is based while attending the World Economic Forum in the posh Swiss resort town of Davos. And calls to The Ministry of Truth -- otherwise known as Government Information Services -- were unable to establish the Premier's whereabouts, either.

So vital questions remain. Has The Colonel made contact with his counterparts in the Swiss Army? Is the champagne in the Alps up to par? But -- most importantly -- did the Island's Tourism-pushing troop of Gombeys and Regiment soldiers (who caused quite a stir when they brought their fancy headgear as hand luggage onto the early morning American flight...only to get bumped off due to foul weather) hit it off with the gnomes of Zurich on the rather costly trip? Which was paid for, of course, by Hester and the rest of the taxpayers. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair -- a world leader surely on a par with our own, at least -- had spin doctors trumpeting what the toothy leader would say during his keynote speech in Davos, analysis afterwards of what he did say and full explanations to any hack who would listen.

Well, the German writer Thomas Mann did set his epic The Magic Mountain in Davos -- perhaps like the Bermuda Triangle, it makes people disappear. Still nobody could accuse the Premier of not living up to her pre-election promise to be transparent. In fact, she's gone one better -- she's darn near invisible.

Lawyer and UBP Senator Mark Pettingill moved swiftly this week to quash rumours that he is a new man, Hester can report. The totally unfounded suggestion came from Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons in Supreme Court this week when he declared he would be checking his beeper and may have to down wig and robe at a minute's notice to rush off to the side of his wife Rebecca, who is expecting their second child. He explained ominously that if he missed the happy event he would probably never return to court again.

But the learned judge was only too pleased to oblige, saying she was "very supportive'' of fathers attending the birth of their children. But the karate-loving, sword-collecting Senator retorted that he had been misunderstood. "You'll find I'm of the old school that would rather smoke a cigar outside,'' he said.

Perhaps this was why Mr. Pettingill was slapped down by the judge later in the trial for attempting to, er, strip off in front of the jury. The barrister asked permission to remove his gown as it was catching on a crate behind him which had been brought in as evidence in a drug smuggling case. Not so willing to oblige this time, Mrs Justice Simmons smirked: "Allowing you to undress in court, Mr. Pettingill? I've never heard of anything like it.'' Hester hears that the St Louis Rams' Super Bowl victory over the Tennessee Titans resulted in a couple of nice payoffs for local betters. Her sources tell her one local man pocketed a $10,000 lump sum from Triple Crown betting shop, having put his money on the winning team very early in the season.

Another lucky chap won some $30,000, having placed bets at long odds at both Seahorses and International Fixed Odds. As there's nothing like a man with a a little extra cash to indulge a girl with, Hester is warning now that she's on the prowl for him...she wonders if it's De Silver Fox. Hester hopes so, because contrary to what some of his cheeky talk show callers think, Hester would like to assure him, she's all woman ! On the subject of sports, Hester wonders if she's the only St. Georgian who thinks it was outrageous that cable telly went on the blink around the Old Town this past weekend during the Australian Tennis Open, the Tyson fight and the entire Super Bowl.

Local sports fans were forced to dash out in the cold to the pubs to watch the games...(If she didn't know better she'd think they had something to do with it). But she was interested to read Bermuda Cablevision's excuse (with no apology) in this paper this week that the loss of service was due to a simple fault in a cable near Watlington Waterworks and "all is fine now''.

Hmm. Cablevision's shoddy record in the local community speaks for itself.

With this uncaring attitude, Hester doesn't blame those among us who `borrow' cable from the neighbours one bit, and she certainly won't be telling on them! The talented Frith family is making news again. Hester is told another member of the Bermudian Frith family has cut an overseas record deal. This time it's Christina Quinn (nee Frith), a close cousin of European rock star Heather Nova and her brother, up-and-coming reggae singer Mishka Frith.

Ms Quinn is to release her first album, Crimson Robe, this month through the top US based Dash Croft label. She gave a sample of her sultry, spiritual songs at a concert at the Bahai' Centre this past weekend and Hester hears she was a hit with the local audience.

Gone right off: John Jr.

Inspiration: Madame Premier