humour. As leader of the National Liberal Party, he needs both.

He is the party's only MP but he is often said to owe his seat to personal popularity rather than to any preference for the NLP.

Some observers believe he could lose that seat, and do not rate the chances of any other NLP candidates, with the possible exception of the persistent Mr.

Graeme Outerbridge in Smith's South.

Critics now have their pens poised, ready to write the party's obituary. And there does seem to be hard evidence for their scepticism.

Mr. Darrell's Hamilton East constituency, where he has often topped the poll, is regarded as one of the most unpredictable on the Island.

New voters have flooded into the area, and they may have no qualms about dumping him.

In the last election, 1989, there were 15 hopefuls on the NLP ticket. But that vote brought defeat for the party's only other MP, Mr. Austin Thomas.

This time around only eight NLP candidates are standing -- the same number as in 1985, two months after the party's formation.

If the NLP again fails to break into the two-party system, many will say it can no longer pretend to be politically relevant.

Party figures can hardly complain about rumours of their organisation's early demise.

Last November, Mr. Darrell said of the coming election: "If we don't get more than the one seat we have, then it's liable to be the death knell for the NLP.'' Last month, outspoken NLP candidate Ms Cheryl Pooley, another ex-PLP member, was quoted as saying: "This is a do or die election.'' But yesterday the 70-year-old party leader had apparently changed his mind on his "death knell'' prediction.

He told The Royal Gazette : "Last year you really felt that way. But this year we've got some new people and there's some new enthusiasm.

"Even if I were the only one who got back in, or I lost my seat and one other new person got in, it appears we have had new impetus.

"There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction from both of the major parties, and while people are reluctant to come forward we have more well-wishers than you can shake a stick at.'' Mr. Darrell believes the party has already made a worthwhile impact on local affairs.

"Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I don't think we did too badly with just one member in the House.

"The only burdensome part about it is finding the time to do the research and when you do speak, knowing what you're talking about.'' He is proud of the party's role in pressing for the creation of cross-party bodies to look into areas like labour or the fishing industry.

But does the party, despite a detailed platform released 11 months ago, have a clear image? Mr. Darrell still sees the party in terms of the circumstances of its birth.

It was formed following the expulsion of six rebels from the PLP in a row over the leadership of Mrs. Lois Browne Evans. "The PLP created the NLP, nobody else,'' says the NLP leader.

However, he believes the party does have a strong reason for being. "Liberal means to us a resolution of being conservative or being left wing. We're trying to take the two and make one good thing out of it.

"This Country needs a party such as the NLP, whose foundation is not based on some previous actions or some label.'' Mr. Darrell points to NLP chairman Mr. Geoff Parker, a businessman like himself, as an example of the new blood in the organisation.

Mr. Parker joined the party after it was the only one that backed his petition against Government's 1990-91 spending plans. He has been with the NLP for about a year.

For this election, he wants to see at least four or five NLP members in the House, making a bigger impact on debates and acting as a "partner'' in Government.

"We're there to improve the Government, not to bring it down,'' he told the Gazette .

If the party held the balance of power it would negotiate with a potential ally and act "in the best interests of the Country'', he said.

On the agenda would be reform designed to increase debate, give bigger roles to committees of MPs, and end the system of "Cabinet decree''.

That is the NLP dream. The nightmare would be to have no seats. But Mr.

Darrell says he and the party would carry on.

"What we would have to measure is: to what degree did we lose? There's another election coming in the next four years or so.'' PHOTO Mr. Gilbert Darrell.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION