banning Bermuda's present Parliamentary system, the group's spokesman said.

The move to ban party politics was still underway, Anti Party Politics with Real Ordinary Voter Endorsement (APPROVE) spokesman Richard Powell stressed.

But Mr. Powell -- who owns Lines Food and Liquor Mart on Ord Road in Warwick -- said there was a lack of demonstrated support for the plan.

"In order to make a change in the system of Government in Bermuda, more people need to stand up and be counted,'' he said. "The feeling is that there is a lot of support behind this but it appears that people are unwilling to get involved although it directly affects their future.

"The support is there from the unspoken majority. People will tell me what a great idea they think it is and how we have to move forward with it, but when I ask them if they want to get involved, they start stuttering.'' He said this had led the seven members of APPROVE to consider adjusting their position.

"The people that are backing it are rethinking how to approach this.'' APPROVE hopes to get some 60 to 70 percent of the voting population to sign a petition which would be presented to Government to pressure it into doing a white paper or green paper on the topic of abolishing party politics with a follow-up referendum.

Some 30 people attended the group's first public meeting on October 2.

The plan was to hold three public meetings in the near future, continued Mr.

Powell.

Locations for the meetings, which would be held at the east and west ends of the Island and in its centre, were being sought.

These will further gauge public support and whether people are prepared "to stand up and be counted,'' he said.

RICHARD POWELL -- People "unwilling to get involved''.