The All Bermuda Congress — a political party dedicated to putting more power in the hands of the people — will today unveil the first of up to a dozen candidates for the forthcoming General Election.

Spokesman Khalid Wasi said he will be contesting either UBP MP David Dodwell’s Southampton seat or Government MP Ashfield DeVent’s Pembroke seat as the ABC aims to get enough MPs to hold the balance of power.

Mr. Wasi said: “We will run about ten to 12 individuals standing in marginals and hope to take the PLP down to about 18 seats.”

The ABC plan on picking up about six or seven seats with the UBP getting around a dozen seats. Currently the PLP has 22 seats to the UBP’s 13 with independent Jamahl Simmons set to retire at the next election.

Mr. Wasi said the PLP still had the most popular support but people were growing sick of some of its excesses.

“I think the Bermuda public like the idea of the labour Government but not without controls,” he said. “The sense is they are out of control — the issue of arrogance and lack of accountability.”

By voting in the ABC the people could retain control of the handbrake while letting the PLP have the reins of power, said Mr. Wasi. Yesterday the party took out a full-page advertisement in The Royal Gazette outlining ten pledges. They include:

* A voters’ bill of rights requiring referendums if 20 percent of the voters signed a petition.

* Independence to be decided only by a referendum not general election .

* Housing — 2,000 low rent units, ranging from $600-1,200 a month, with options to buy 99-year leaseholds at $1,750 per month

* Education — an end to automatic advancement, increase in teachers salaries but licensing required.

* Government — fixed-term, four-year parliaments, Premiers limited to two terms and elected by the people not parliament, a code of ethics for MPs, elected Senators — one from each parish.

* Media — prohibit Government from owning or controlling any of the media.

* Crime — smaller juries, overseas judges for some cases, inmates to serve in public works programmes, increase the Police force by 20 percent.

Confident the ABC will pick up seats while neither of the main parties would gain the 19 needed to win outright Mr. Wasi said the ABC would form a coalition Government with whichever MPs would support its ten pledges.

Laws would then be passed requiring the parties to be given representation in Cabinet based on their support at the ballot box.

Mr. Wasi was reluctant to name who was backing the ABC until candidates were rolled out but he said neither former NLP candidate Graeme Outerbridge or perennial election hopeful Charles Spanswick were involved.

However, Mr. Wasi said Stuart Hayward, who won a single term as an Independent MP in Pembroke from 1989-1993, was involved but he was not sure if he would stand.

Third parties and independent candidates have a dismal record in Bermuda. The National Liberal Party, was formed in 1985 when four MPs were expelled from Dame Lois Browne-Evans’ Progressive Labour Party but by 1993 it had lost all its seats.

Mr. Wasi said he had run for parliament in 1989 and had got around 100 votes.

Asked why a third party would have any more luck this time, Mr. Wasi said: “People have seen both parties in power and recognised it doesn’t matter what party is in, they don’t have control over Government.

“There is a sense of despair in the people’s minds.”