General Election.

And four candidates have already been selected to fight seats for the National Liberal Party, including party chief Charles Jeffers.

Mr. Jeffers said: "I've settled on a strategy for this election and we do plan to be participants in several areas in what could be a very interesting and historic election.'' But Mr. Jeffers ruled out a massive number of candidates for the smallest political force in Bermuda.

He said: "It won't be a full slate -- it won't even be a half slate. It will be less than 20, that's for sure.'' Mr. Jeffers declined to say where he would be standing -- except to say it would be "east of the city.'' He has apparently ruled out a challenge in Pembroke West Central, held by Government Minister Jerome Dill and backbencher Ann Cartwright DeCouto.

But he may put himself forward in Pembroke East Central, held by the PLP duo of Stanley Morton and David Allen, or further out in Devonshire, where he ran in a recent by-election.

But both Hamilton West and East will undergo boundary changes for the next General Election, and the resultant swapping around of voters could prove fertile ground for a third party candidate.

NLP plotting election strategy Also likely to stand is NLP spokesman Graeme Outerbridge, probably in Smith's South, where he has run before.

And Ed Armstrong is also set to take up the cudgels in a bid to get the NLP back on to Parliament Hill -- plus some new faces.

Mr. Jeffers said: "Our plan is going to be an interesting one -- we decided we didn't want to even attempt to try and contest a large number of constituencies. We don't want to spread ourselves too thin.'' He declined to discuss his plans in detail -- but said the party were now playing for long-term goals.

He added: "I feel very confident that our time will be after the next General Election.'' Mr. Jeffers -- who was recently awarded a B.A. in Political Science from Queen's University in Canada -- said he had been studying the emergence of new power blocs in Canada after the collapse of the Conservatives around two years ago and in the Bahamas after the United Bahamas Party lost power several years ago.

And he said the party was not aiming to fight on "spoiling tactics'' -- which he said was unpopular with voters.

The NLP traditionally won votes from the Opposition Progressive Labour Party -- but there are signs that is no longer the case. But he added: "We need people to increase our support at this General Election -- we must make our presence felt.''