In a hard hitting speech last night Premier Alex Scott warned there could soon be more Cabinet sackings if Ministers fail to perform.

The bombshell came after the recent axing of Works and Engineering and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent who was replaced by David Burch. With rumours of his own position under threat swirling around his Progressive Labour Party conference and Bermuda at large, Mr. Scott urged party members to stay loyal and back the Government against attackers.

Warning PLP conference delegates gathered at Devonshire Recreation Club that the ride would not be smooth he said: ?Ministers will be held to a higher level of accountability and competency and treading water with no innovation must result in Cabinet shuffles ? sooner rather than later.

?I do not intend to compromise on standards and will continue to do all I can to ensure that we have the most effective Cabinet ever. I expect high standards of ethical governance and delivery on promises that have been made and that are required to be kept.

Mr. Scott added: ?I expect no less than what I am prepared to do.?

Mr. Scott said he wished Ministers talked more about what they are doing with his Social Agenda after claiming that programme was doing more for Bermudians than any other Government had done. Party members were also urged to back his leadership by standing up every time it was attacked.

?Don?t spoil our chances by being divisive, collusive or lackadaisical. I charge some of the party membership to spend less time utilising their right to criticise and exercise their responsibility to contribute to the party programmes and projects. If you don?t show, then we won?t grow.?

The Throne Speech will address of crime and drugs promised Mr. Scott and would leave no doubt there was a housing strategy.

?The quality of life of Bermudians ? young and old is addressed in a comprehensive manner,? he explained. ?The issue of race relations and racism in Bermuda that divides this community of diverse racial, ethnic, national and cultural roots will have a definitive recommendation and plan for bringing our respective communities together to begin to resolve our fundamental differences.?

After noting the success of his recent get together with Bermudian students in London Mr. Scott pledged to set up a register of Bermudians with further education qualifications to help match them with suitable jobs.

And he promised a campaign to attract men into teaching to increase the amount of male role models while also calling for a volunteer mentoring programme.

?Our children must be successful and there will be measures to increase accountability of the public school system,? he added.