The United Bermuda Party (UBP) would introduce a whistle blowers' act to protect civil servants from losing their jobs should they wish to speak out against Government, it was revealed yesterday.

Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons said: "This is something we would like to bring in to make sure that civil servants are protected when they feel there is something that they want to speak out about so they will be free from retribution. There are many examples of whistle blowers' acts around the world, and we've been looking at a couple in Canada.

"The act would really specify that in cases where civil servants see harm or dishonesty they would not be able to be fired or lose their position as a consequence of speaking out on something that they feel very strongly about. Obviously there are protections involved for both sides."

The UBP also announced that it would amend the Constitution to specify the exact means by which it can be changed, change how the Senate is chosen, its composition and its mandate, and also reform the political broadcasting system so that taxpayers do not have to fork out for political advertisements.

The announcements came as the Opposition accused Government of an "unending stream of public scandals, abuses of power and an attitude of arrogance", exemplified by its failure to release the report of the Auditor General on the scandal in the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

Legislative Affairs spokesman John Barritt, who was announced yesterday as the UBP candidate for District 12, or Devonshire South Central, said: "When it comes to being accountable, the Progressive Labour Party's refusal to release the report is a quintessential example of this Government's disrespect for the people's right to know. What does the Government have to hide? What are they afraid of? They say they want to run on their track record. Well, the Auditor General's report and its review of how they have spent the people's money is part of that track record."

Three other UBP candidates announced included Quickie Lickie Laundromat owner Walter Cross, who will run in Pembroke North East, or District 15, Elbow Beach Hotel corporate sales manager Rocky Fox, who will run in Pembroke South East, or District 21, and Christian Dunleavy, a reinsurance executive with AXIS Speciality, who will run in Devonshire North West, or District 14.

Mr. Gibbons also repeated his party's commitment to spearheading a policy of "transparency" in Government through a series of initiatives, including the appointment of a non-political Attorney General, the passing of a Freedom of Information Act to ensure public access to information, the establishment of a code of conduct for all parliamentary members and the establishment of continuous bipartisan parliamentary committees.

"Fairness, openness, mutual respect and the highest standards of integrity. These are the ideas that form the essence of good government. The new UBP believes that they should be the utmost obligation of every public servant."