In a hard hitting passionate speech at St. Paul's Centennial Hall at lunchtime yesterday, Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons offered Bermuda alternative leadership which will focus on "real equity, real economic progress, and a government with real integrity".

And he unveiled some key elements of the United Bermuda Party's platform for the coming election, such as a Freedom of Information Act, the absentee ballot and re-establishing a non-political office for the Attorney General.

The "New UBP" is also proposing an Office of Economic Empowerment and reducing death tax on principal residences, if the electorate returns the party to power.

Two new ministeries, one for finance and budgets and one for tourism and economic development will be created, Dr. Gibbons added.

And a "better balance" between rehabilitation and punishment will be struck by a raft of measures which include reviewing the National Drugs Commission's mandate to ensure effective use of public funds and making sure that people who commit murder are sentenced to life without parole.

Its education policies will be focussed on developing talent "one child at a time", he said. A specialist team will be established in schools to provide academic, social and behavioural support to students and parents. And parents will be encouraged to be more involved in their children's education through a Parent's Responsibility Act. Educational options for Bermuda's young will be broadened by re-establishing a "Bermuda Tech".

He also pledged that a UBP Government will make the crisis in affordable housing a priority. "The next UBP Government will take care of desperate families by "aggressively building or renovating housing" and develop a long term national housing strategy with experts in housing, urban planning and finance and "clean up the Bermuda Housing Corporation".

The UBP's core values include a commitment to democracy, the Constitution and to tolerance, he said. "They include a belief that given equal opportunity, success in life is determined by hard work and taking responsibility. They include an understanding that all citizens must respect the law and the law must respect all citizens. They include a duty to care for each other. And they include a belief that our government should operate with integrity to serve the many not a select few."

Some 400 people turned up for the highly orchestrated affair, which was kicked off with a jazz rendition of Bob Marley's "Jamming" performed by saxophonist Shine Hayward. Party chairman Wayne Furbert then introduced what is to be the UBP's theme song for its campaign, a locally composed song called "United, We Believe".

He then invited the party's slate of approved candidates to the stage before introducing Dr. Gibbons who was welcomed with a rapture normally reserved for superstars.

His speech was frequently interrupted with thunderous applause by an audience who appeared to be listening intently to every word.

Dr. Gibbons touted what he saw as the party's main strength - a team that reflects Bermuda's diverse racial, religious, cultural and professional backgrounds - and pitted that, with his policy proposals, against the Progressive Labour Party's perceived failures after four years in Government.

Touching briefly on the "complex problems of race and equity", he said the party's highest priority will be to ensuring that all Bermudians enjoy "full social and economic participation in the mainstream of Bermudian life... Prejudice and glass ceilings have not disappeared".

"There is unfinished business between black and white Bermudians - we cannot deny that - and our history suggests that the struggle to become one Bermuda will not be easy," he asserted. "But the goal of one Bermuda is worth the struggle because the price of failure is too high."

Hopes and expectations that had greeted the first PLP Government had "turned into frustration", he asserted.

"Arrogance, self-dealing, secrecy, scandal and abuse of power have deeply disappointed the legitimate hopes of Bermudians," he declared. "Just four years after its historic election the Smith Government has lost its way."

The PLP had made "serious mistakes", he continued. "Sadly these are not the mistakes of an inexperienced government. Nor can they be blamed on the media or previous governments. These mistakes are more profound because they put us at risk, threatening our economy, our good reputation as a well-governed country and the bond of trust that should exist between government and the people."

Bermudians could not afford to give the PLP more time to deliver, he suggested. "More time isn't the answer, because "the PLP got the fundamentals of governing wrong from the very beginning".

And he reminded his audience of a "current PLP Minister" who had asserted that he was entering politics to "settle scores". That kind of attitude may have worked for him, but it can't be right for our country."

He continued: "How can the Smith government say it's for the common people when the number of homeless families continue to grow? How can the Smith Government say it's accountable when it hides the truth and refuses to take responsibility for the unprecedented scandal at the Bermuda Housing Corporation? How can the Smith government say it's committed to democracy when it won't allow the people to ratify changes to their own Constitution?"