a possible General Election challenge from embittered party member Kenny Bascome.

Mr. Robinson -- running mate to party leader Jennifer Smith, replacing the late Leon (Jimmy) Williams -- said: "The main reason he doesn't bother me is that anyone who would have voted for the PLP and votes for Kenny Bascome is voting for the UBP.

"You lower the number of voters that the PLP gets, that means the UBP has a chance of getting in under the wire.'' Mr. Bascome is understood to have quit the party last week in a row over his failure to be selected to run alongside Ms Smith.

It is believed he resigned before the local branch could discipline him for speaking out against the party.

The businessman -- already a Corporation of St. George's councillor -- has used radio talk shows to mount an unofficial campaign, claiming enough local support to take a seat in the constituency.

But Mr. Robinson -- an ex-Finance Ministry civil servant who outshone official PLP Finance spokesman Eugene Cox at a recent press conference on the economy -- said: "I have confidence in the voters of St. George's North and that those people who are going to vote a party will vote a party. They won't split their votes between the PLP and Mr. Bascome.'' And Mr. Robinson pointed out: "We are making a large assumption as well -- we're assuming he is actually going to run.'' But he insisted if Mr. Bascome was to go it alone, he "didn't have a snowball's chance on a cold day in Hell of being elected as an Independent representative in St. George's''.

Mr. Robinson predicted: "There will be enough PLP supporters who will vote party to thwart any such outcome.'' He added: "Mr. Bascome's aspirations are laudable -- it's just unfortunate that, as an Independent candidate, he couldn't really get these things done in the House of Assembly that he would like to do.

"We've already had Independents who have failed and third parties are not a strong force to be reckoned with.'' Mr. Robinson, a first-time candidate, does not enjoy the advantage normally held by a sitting MP and is the weaker of the two Opposition candidates.

He and Ms Smith are running against golf pro Kim Swan and businessman Bob Stewart.

And if Mr. Bascome were to take enough votes based on his high local profile, that would increase the chances of Mr. Swan splitting the seat.

Mr. Bascome has consistently declined to comment on his future political intentions.