week, 20 months before the next vote must be held.

On Wednesday alone, Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade was declaring to Hamilton Lions that his party had the qualities needed to govern, UBP House candidate Sen. Maxwell Burgess was attacking his PLP opponent Mr. Julian Hall, and St. George's South candidates were discussing possible primaries.

On the same day, St. George's North candidate Mr. E. Michael Jones was talking about a plan to help the East End if a bridge is knocked out, and Pembroke East Central candidate Mr. Lawson Mapp was talking about a new sidewalk.

And in the Senate, Progressive Labour Party members claimed the tone of this newspaper's editorials proved an election is imminent.

Sir John has called three elections since becoming Premier in 1982. The first took place after 26 months, the second after 32 months and third after 40 months.

It is now the 40th month since the 1989 election and the candidates are restless. An election hardly seems likely before the fall, according to officials of all three parties, but the three parties are scrambling anyway to select candidates and attack their rivals.

For the United Bermuda Party, primaries are still expected in St. George's South, Smith's South and Paget West.

Mr. Richard Spurling and Mr. Custerfield Crockwell are expected to challenge incumbents in St. George's South, Mr. Grant Gibbons is expected to challenge approved candidate Mr. Trevor Moniz and incumbent the Hon. Jim Woolridge in Smith's South.

Mr. Tim Smith is expected to challenge incumbent Mr. Harry Soares in Paget West -- where Independent Southampton West MP Mr. Harry Viera has occasionally threatened to run as well.

UBP candidates have yet to be chosen in several constituencies now controlled by the PLP.

The party's Sandys North and Southampton East branches have yet to finalise or announce their selections, while Mr. Lawson Mapp has no UBP running mate in Pembroke East Central. No UBP candidates have yet been announced in the PLP strongholds of Pembroke East and Devonshire North.

The PLP has not revealed many of its candidates, but Mr. Wade said all should be announced by the end of July. He said he expects none of the party's 15 sitting MPs to retire.

Three key marginal constituencies are Hamilton East, Hamilton West, and Warwick East. Both parties have chosen candidates for Hamilton Parish, but the PLP has yet to announce who it will set against UBP incumbents the Hon. Irving Pearman and the Hon. Gerald Simons in Warwick East.

The two men held the seat successfully in 1989, but UBP officials have been concerned about Mr. Simons' performance in polls. Mr. Simons said the constituency has always been a marginal constituency and remains one to this day.

Dr. Ewart Brown could be a strong candidate in Warwick East but Mr. Wade said no final decision has been made. "We are pretty sure of what we are going to do, but are doing a little more polling because we have the luxury of doing that.'' Nor has the PLP announced a running mate for Miss Jennifer Smith, who snatched a seat from the UBP in St. George's North in 1989 on her sixth attempt -- though St. George's town councillor Mr. Ross Smith has been canvassing.

The UBP, which is strong in St. George's South, is likely to portray the two East End districts as a single unit that should have a unified representation in the House.

It is also hoping its new St. George's North candidate Mr. E. Michael Jones can put in a far stronger performance than his predecessor Mr. Gladwin (Doc) Hall.

National Liberal Party chairman Mr. Graeme Outerbridge said his party is gradually building its team -- but like the PLP has made few announcements.

Mr. Outerbridge said the party's team will be strong and, unlike 1989, contain nobody running simply to make up a slate of candidates.

The party's House contingent slipped from two to one in 1989, with only Mr.

Gilbert Darrell elected, but its share of the vote increased from 7 to 10 percent.

Like the UBP and PLP, Mr. Outerbridge said, the NLP views Warwick East as an important constituency and will run one of its strongest candidates -- though not necessarily its 1989 contender Mr. Walter Brangman.

Former UBP Cabinet Minister the Hon. Ernest Vesey will not run for the NLP again in Smith's North, but instead will help Mr. Outerbridge's campaign in Smith's South. Mr. Outerbridge was one of the strongest NLP candidates in the last vote, finishing 73 votes behind the UBP's Mr. Anthony Correia.

"We're fairly ready, basically because of all the machinations that have been going on in the UBP and all the speculation that has been going on.

"We were looking at the Spring as a possible election time, and now that has passed we are looking at the Fall, and beyond that to next Spring.'' Premier the Hon. John Swan in May warned UBP caucus members to "get ready'' and told them he would call an election at the "earliest'' window of opportunity.

But what does that statement mean? It inspired rumours that ran through the ranks of MPs and Senators that an election was planned for June 9 but nothing happened.

Yesterday, Sir John remained cryptic. "We have stepped up our activity,'' he agreed. But then he pointed out that there was no requirement to hold an election before February, 1994.

The UBP's campaign chairman Mr. Ward Young said the campaign really began immediately after the 1989 election. This campaign was a "marathon'' rather than a "sprint'' like previous campaigns he said.

And if a marathon is 26 miles long, he said, we are 21 miles along the course.

Mr. Ward Young.