year's General Election.

Yesterday NLP leader Charles Jeffers admitted that, with an election just months away, Bermuda's smallest political party has only been able to muster five suitable candidates to fight for the 40 seats in Parliament.

Mr. Jeffers denied the party was in a crisis but also admitted he was appealing for more suitable candidates to come forward.

"We are looking for more candidates,'' Mr. Jeffers said. "Our plan is to have about 12 to 15 candidates and so far five have confirmed.

"But I'm a little fearful of using numbers. We want people who are committed and feel comfortable with the philosophy of the NLP and who are prepared to work.

"We have questioned the choice of candidates in the other two parties before and we wouldn't want to find ourselves in the same position. I could go out and get 15 candidates tomorrow but what sort of candidates they would be would be very questionable.

"There are other candidates who haven't yet confirmed but it's difficult for them because we don't know when the election is going to be.

"Under this system where we don't have a set date, people are having to put their lives on hold until they know when the election will be held.

"Although we don't want an early election -- we want it to be held in September to give us time to prepare -- I think the Premier should announce when it's going to be now.

"I would like to see a fundamental change in the way we do things here. In the US you have a set date and you know when the election is going to be every four years.

"A Government should stand by its record and not just call an election when they are riding high in the opinion polls or because the Opposition parties are in disarray -- that's short-changing the public and to announce an election with just three or four weeks notice is ludicrous.

"But we are urging the voting public to remember that we don't have to win a majority of seats in Parliament to be effective because we could very well hold the balance of power.'' Mr. Jeffers also confirmed earlier rumours that the NLP will not be contesting the Pembroke West or Hamilton East by-elections. Dates for those two political battles are expected to be announced by the Premier by the end of the month.

But Mr. Jeffers denied that the decision not to stand in either constituency was because of a lack of candidates.

"A decision was made not to stand in the by-elections, not because of a lack of candidates but we think our time would be better spent fighting the big one -- the General Election,'' he said.

"It takes time and effort to prepare for a by-election and it's difficult when you are fighting an uphill battle.

"But we would urge our supporters not to just stay at home but to go to the ballot box and write NLP on their voting slips and put it in the ballot box.

Let it be known that there is support for us out there.'' The NLP's election campaign kicks off with a public forum at the Leopards Club on Cedar Avenue, Hamilton on February 17 at 7.30 p.m.