Premier Jennifer Smith yesterday formally introduced a second wave of six candidates for the coming election in another display of confidence about her party's chances of victory and pointed criticisms of the media.

The announcement confirmed Bermuda Industrial Union vice president Chris Furbert's entry into the political fray as well as the candidacies of Education Minister Paula Cox, Housing Minister David Burch, Ashfield DeVent, Wayne Perinchief and Delaey Robinson.

"They each represent the high calibre of individual who come forward to serve their country as part of the PLP team," she said.

Mr. Robinson, the Premier's running mate in the old St. George's North, had planned to retire from politics. But he said he had been persuaded to contest the July 24 poll and had chosen Paget East, or District 22.

All candidates stressed that they had been encouraged by constituents on the doorsteps, and predicted victory.

"When they look and judge us they will see a dynamic team of people with a varied background that includes former principals, editors of newspapers, medical doctors. I sit here in awe of my colleagues," said Ashfield DeVent, who will be running in Pembroke South East or District 21.

"I believe that the members of the public are falling in love with all of us, and all of us love the members of the public because otherwise we wouldn't be here to serve," he added quoting from a song from the 1960s.

The candidates stressed that the poll was an historic one since it was the first held under a single seat system.

"It reminds me of the trio of words that the former leader, the late L. Frederick Wade left - commitment, conviction, courage. That's what it takes in order to implement the radical reforms and restructuring that we are beginning to undertake," said Ms Cox who will be running in Devonshire North West or District 14.

David Burch, the ruling party's candidate for Hamilton South, noted that the district contained a "significant proportion of the area that I attempted to represent in the last election and a by-election".

And he said: "I know that if we are judged on our record we will receive high marks and be returned as the next government of this country and I hope to participate on a different level being an elected Member of Parliament."

Mr. Robinson said that the electorate had an "opportunity to continue the formation of the New Bermuda".

The Premier had introduced her former running mate as the first MP for Paget East "or maybe not".

Paget East, where UBP Leader Grant Gibbons will be running, is generally accepted as a United Bermuda Party (UBP) stronghold.

Asked if the district was winnable, Mr. Robinson said he would leave that for others to judge.

"I'm pretty sure that the people in constituency 22 who want to vote for the Progressive Labour Party want a candidate and I'm happy to be that candidate for them."

And referring to broadcast media reports that he was quitting the Island to start a business in the US, he said that it was time the media grew up.

"This is a part of the process and I am pretty sure that as the Progressive Labour Party continues at the helm of the state, I'm sure that the media will mature as well and the media will only run stories that corroborate from more than one source. We have to grow up and running a story from one source is just not good enough."

Asked why he had decided to run in District 22 he said: "I suppose this is part of the great turning of the tide in Bermuda heralded by the election of November, 1998." As a former civil servant with the Finance Ministry, Dr. Gibbons had been the last Minister he had served under, he noted.

"I'll leave the rest to you."