Devonshire North by-election triumph.

Labour Minister Quinton Edness claimed the by-election spotlighted a split between the Progressive Labour Party's old and new guards.

He said PLP young guns were missing from the Prospect Primary School polling station -- in contrast to old hands like Opposition Leader Jennifer Smith and Shadow Finance Minister Eugene Cox.

But PLP Deputy Leader Alex Scott yesterday rejected the claim, saying Mr.

Edness was trying to divert attention from the UBP's Devonshire North disaster.

"Mr. Edness must be on drugs -- or he should be. There is no attempt to cover up a split.'' He added: "I would think Mr. Edness has enough trouble with his own party without creating fairy tales.'' Mr. Scott said the PLP claimed its highest ever share of the vote in Devonshire North, while the United Bermuda Party hit rock bottom.

The National Liberal Party, meanwhile, prepared to launch a by-election inquiry after a disappointing showing.

"It may be that we are ahead of our time,'' said NLP Chairman Charles Jeffers.

Mr. Jeffers believed the UBP had emerged a disastrous loser in the count, given the amount of time its candidate had devoted to canvassing.

Last Thursday, the PLP's Paula Cox romped to victory with 707 of the 991 votes cast -- a majority of 71.3 percent.

The UBP's Stewart Greenslade picked up 230 votes -- or 23 percent. And NLP hopeful Edwin Armstrong claimed 49 votes, 4.9 percent. Independent candidate Gershwyn (Shiloh) Smith attracted just five votes.

There was a 50.5 percent turn-out of the 1,969 registered voters.

Mr. Edness said neither of the main parties had their voting machines in full gear for the by-election.

"I do believe this is a PLP stronghold and the figures reflect the position they have always held there.

"I do not believe the by-election result is indicative of the general election outcome but it should be a wake-up call for the UBP and its supporters.

"Certainly the UBP should be very much aware that they are going to have to work very hard to put the Government they feel can best manage the country in power.

"I do not believe that party is the PLP and I still get a lot of feedback from a great many people who are fearful about what would happen to the economy if the PLP should win.

"My feeling is that the PLP has not demonstrated they could be good managers of the Country and the economy and they have not put forward a plan. Instead they have put up a shield around the PLP, gotten everyone to keep quiet, to not say anything and not show any sign of disaffection within the party.'' Mr. Edness said it was "significant'' that PLP Leader Ms Smith, Mr. Cox and old hands like Reginald Burrows and Stanley Morton were at the polling station.

"But the people who were missing were the so-called new breed of the PLP which I believe is indicative of a split developing within that party which is being covered up so the people of Bermuda cannot see it.

Members squabble From Page 1 "I think people should be petrified over the statement that the Leader of the Opposition made that this is the forerunner of the next general election.

People should start thinking about what kind of a future they want and they should consider that the Government has kept people working and moving forward for 30 years.'' Mr. Edness claimed many people found the thought of the PLP running the country "very scary''.

"The PLP have never demonstrated they're good managers or good managers of the economy.

"Every time they have criticised the Government on the economy they've been wrong, such as our handling of the recession.'' He added: "The other thing people have to worry about is that the PLP's voice on crime has been very mild if it has been heard at all.'' Mr. Scott, however, stressed the PLP was united in its support of Paula Cox.

And it was complete fiction to talk about a split in the party.

"That's the most extraordinary observation. Everybody went out to canvass with Paula.

"I think Mr. Edness must be losing it. I'm not sure I want to even dignify his comments by discussing them.'' Mr. Scott questioned what Mr. Edness meant by "new breed''.

After all, Shadow Environment Minister Leon (Jimmy) Williams -- among PLP MPs most recently elected to Parliament -- was at the polling station, Mr. Scott stressed.

"Am I the new breed? I haven't been in Parliament that long and I was present at the count. Isn't Paula, herself, the new breed?'' Mr. Scott accused Mr. Edness of creating a "red herring'' to take the heat off the UBP.

"Our poll suggests the by-election could be a precursor to what would happen in a general election.

"It is patently obvious that the UBP supporters did not turn out. The PLP got the highest share of the vote it has ever got in Devonshire North, while it was the lowest the UBP has ever got.'' Mr. Scott said the first quarter, half and three-quarter results of the by-election demonstrated a problem for the UBP.

These showed a steady support for Ms Cox -- of about 65, 70 and 71 percent respectively.

"UBP supporters normally vote in the morning, so usually their votes are at the bottom of the pile.

"In the past this has meant PLP support has fallen away towards the end of the count. But this didn't happen in the by-election.

"There was no morning surge for the UBP. It appears there was certainly a fall-off of the hard-core UBP vote. That should be concerning Mr. Edness.

"He should think about that rather than try to manufacture problems in the PLP.'' Mr. Jeffers said the NLP found it unfortunate that almost 50 percent of Devonshire North constituents -- some of whom were vocal in expressing their frustrations to Mr. Armstrong -- chose not to vote.

"We applaud all of those who did not participate in the election process and we extend a special vote of thanks to those who supported our candidate, Edwin Armstrong.

"Nevertheless, we remain firm in our belief that the stance and policies of the National Liberal Party place us in a position to be the political alternative that Bermuda needs.''