The United Bermuda Party wants to de-politicise the Attorney General's office, bring the focus back on to alternatives to incarceration, and lower taxes, according to party leader Dr. Grant Gibbons.

"It's not that the concept (of a politically elected Attorney General) is wrong, other countries do it," Dr. Gibbons told Sandys Rotarians on Wednesday. "But Bermuda is a pretty small place and the potential for political interference is pretty high.

"We think it's an excellent idea (to de-politicise the AG office). We want to go back to it."

The UBP also wants to take the politics out of tourism with a Tourism Authority. Dr. Gibbons said he had not yet determined which Ministries would be cut and which created if the UBP regained power, but said Education was going to be "exceptionally important" and that all the Ministries would have to work together in a coordinated effort.

When asked about the UBP approach on taxes, Dr. Gibbons said: "The simple answer is we would like to lower them."

The estate tax on principal residences in particular could be significantly lowered, he said. That would mean children inheriting a parent's house would not be faced with such a severe financial burden.

And he added: "There is absolutely, categorically, no contemplation of income tax."

Concerning the idea which has been raised on talk shows recently of using the combined skills of Westgate inmates to build affordable housing for Bermudians, Dr. Gibbons said the UBP "would look into it".

Noting it would have to be on a case by case basis balancing the risk to society against the rehabilitation of the individual, he said conceptually the idea was a good one which would help inmates earn money and be in the right frame of mind to be re-integrated to society.

"We need to do better with integration and the transition from prison to society," he said. Many inmates are forced to return to selling drugs on their release as a means of survival, he added.

"We need a better facility where it's easier to survive as an average working Bermudian," and where inmates could receive counselling and learn skills.

In fact, the UBP wants to ensure that rehabilitation and the alternatives to incarceration are brought back to the forefront and given the needed structure, support and resources, he said.

Dr. Gibbons said the criminal justice system must be examined to ensure that "Bermudians respect the law and the law respects Bermudians ... If you commit a crime in Bermuda you will be caught, prosecuted, and appropriately punished".

Young people should take the opportunity to vote and get involved in politics, he said.

"It is important, who is in Government. You really can make a difference if you get involved, Bermuda is still small enough - there really can be a tremendous difference ... (Young people) need to make sure Bermuda works for them."

With all the talk about the "New" UBP, Dr. Gibbons was asked to explain what exactly was so new about the UBP this time around.

"We've learned from the opportunity of almost five years of Opposition," he said. "It is a good lesson - we get to think about what is important without the day to day stresses of managing the Government.

"We've also got a lot of new people," he said, adding that party whip Maxwell Burgess was one of the very few who had been in politics since before 1993.

"We recognise that what worked for us as a country and a former UBP Government is not necessarily going to work in the 21st Century," he said.

"We still have the old values, they have stood us well - fiscal prudence and hard work, success, caring, respect of the law which respects us - but we want to make sure these values are interpreted with new people in new circumstances."