The Island's third party - The National Liberal Party - should reconsider its reasons for existence if it cannot field at least 12 candidates in the coming election, says its former leader Charles Jeffers.

Graeme Outerbridge, the party's vice chairman, agrees.

"This is an opportune time for the NLP," Mr. Jeffers said when asked what impact the new single seat system would have on the party.

"If the NLP cannot find a reasonable number of candidates and does nothing in this general election then I think they have to go back and reassess their raison d'?tre."

He said the party's candidates should have been canvassing the Island already.

"They should have been out there. Candidates should have already been named."

Mr. Jeffers pointed to the most recent elections in the Bahamas where the governing party suffered massive losses and four independent candidates entered Parliament.

Asked if the NLP should disband if it cannot muster up a presence for the elections, Mr. Jeffers said : "If the party is not going to come up with a reasonable number of candidates running under their banner, to me it would have no value."

At least 12 candidates in "strategic areas" - marginals - should be fielded, he said.

"They obviously would not win government but they can certainly be the deal-maker," he continued.

Party politics were kicked off in this Country when the Island's first political party won six seats in a 36-seat House, he noted.

"That changed the whole political dynamic. Under the new system and with all that has transpired with the parties, this election could be so close that one or two independents could become king."

Mr. Jeffers added that a number of people had been disappointed by the party system and that they should run as independents.

"What has Dale Butler to gain by being a member of the PLP? He could do more as an independent and still be close to the PLP. He's virtually killed all his chances of being a Minister so what value is the PLP to him? He is certainly more value to it," he said.

"There are a lot of unhappy people especially in the Government but under the party system what can they do?"

"I'm running as a member of the Progressive Labour Party," said Mr. Butler. "I have never considered running as an independent. I have been a loyal supportive member of the PLP since the age of 16 and I have no intentions of running as an independent at this time."

Asked to comment on Mr. Jeffers' remarks about the NLP, Mr. Outerbridge said: "Charles has always been an astute observer of Bermuda politics. I agree with his perception that it would not be worth our while fielding anybody under the NLP banner unless there is a viable list of candidates."

At the moment, he said, there was not a viable list of candidates.

"There's certainly the sentiment that if we cannot muster up the candidates there isn't any point in proceeding as a political party into the next election."