The election campaign which dare not speak its name apparently kicked off yesterday as Premier Ewart Brown conducted a whirlwind tour of media events which started in 1730 but by late afternoon concluded in a discussion about healthcare in modern day Bermuda.

The tour began appropriately enough on one of Dr. Brown's trademark fast ferries and whisked him and his entourage to Dockyard to witness the creation of a statue honouring slave Sally Bassett.

Point well and truly made, the delegation waited for the ferry back and used the time to take in some of the West End's fine if under-used real estate.

Politicos and Press alike cooed at the converted houses of Dockyard Terrace which inexplicably remained untenanted. Each admirer secretly plotted a move to the west — and each quickly trashed the idea upon learning the monthly rents were the best part of $10 K.

With Bermuda's thermostat set to 'roast' an increasingly sweaty and panting media pack followed the Prem back to the ferry which skipped across Hamilton Harbour where an even bigger boat was waiting.

There the Premier took in a whistlestop tour of a cruise ship before heading back West where two prospective candidates were waiting to be unveiled outside Southampton Rangers.

Here Racial Point Number Two was to be made as the PLP announced its first white candidate as speaker after speaker spoke about the party's growing diversity.

Zane DeSilva was introduced to wild clapping although Raymond Tannock, the man chosen by the local branch only to be cast aside by the higher-ups for the newcomer, was more sparing with his applause and for the most part had his arms firmly folded.

Disappointed body language? He certainly wasn't huddling to keep warm as the perspiration far outweighed inspiration from many of those who addressed the throng.

And with election speculation reaching fever pitch Dr. Brown wasn't about to put the dampeners on.

Claiming the Opposition were obsessed with August 16 he again failed to rule it out and bragged the PLP would romp to victory on whatever day it chose.

It prompted one wag to suggest it was now a case of whether the polls opened on August 15 or August 17.

Either way the Premier was not giving the game away aside from one massive hint.

He told one reporter: "I think the weather today is a great thing and I would like the weather to be like this on election today." Don't book that August holiday just yet.