Arthur Hodgson has politics running through his blood.

He lives it, breathes it, and, as The Royal Gazette discovered, could talk about it until the proverbial cows come home.

His interest formed when he was a young student at Michigan State University, causing his career path to take a slightly different route from the life of a missionary he had planned.

Even now, many of his political beliefs and ideals relate back to his early days, before the official inception of the Progressive Labour Party.

He was considered a radical and diehard PLP supporter, but always thought of himself as too right wing.

Educated at, among other places, England's Oxford University, where he met the late race and human activist Malcolm X, he is well read and well travelled.

He believes his life, and the different directions it took him, including into construction, teaching and law, prepared him well for Government.

In truth, much of his life has been aimed at seeing the PLP secure the role of Government -- a dream which finally came to fruition just a little over two years ago.

And being given a Cabinet seat by the Premier was "the icing on the cake'' in the realisation of a life-long ambition.

But since his departure from Cabinet last November following an unsuccessful challenge for the leadership, Mr. Hodgson has had time to take stock of his life and the direction he now wishes to go.

Pausing for thought, he said apart from the noticeable loss in weight, very little had changed.

He has more time to spend with his family and to do odd jobs around his home overlooking Harrington Sound, and he is still busying himself with law work, but his telephone still rings constantly and he continues his work as an MP.

And as much as he is enjoying his new role, he said he would take up another Cabinet post tomorrow, if asked to serve by his Premier.

He said he believed his role was to serve and he would always do that in any position, if asked.

He said: "It was at college that I began to understand racism, colonialism and the political economy. It was a revelation that I thought should be shared with my colleagues in Bermuda.

"I should have been a missionary, but after talking it over with my parents, I decided to stay in school.

"There is a verse in scripture that says `who ever gives a glass of water shall receive his reward', and for me, sharing my knowledge on the economy is my way of giving a glass of water.

"I thought all of the injustice happening in Bermuda was being tolerated simply because people did not know life could be different.

"From realising that, I changed my major at college from civil engineering to politics and there it all began.'' Mr. Hodgson said he believed firmly in countries, institutions, states and towns finding their own niche and making the best of what they have, rather than trying to be something they are not, or offering something they cannot live up to.

And he said he believed the same ran true for politics, Government and Bermuda.

A former maths and geography teacher at Sandys Secondary School, education is still Mr. Hodgson's big love, and he said he would cherish the opportunity to one day be Education Minister.

As a teacher he said he tried to be an inspiration to all pupils, telling them they could achieve and could make good enough grades to go to university. It was their right, he said.

And he still preaches the same message.

"As a teacher, I was determined that my students would go to university, and I was successful,'' he continued. "When I went to university, being brought up in Bermuda, I believed that it was a rare privilege, but in reality, when I got there I discovered that 30 percent of Americans went. I felt hurt that I had been misled.

"That left a lasting impression in my mind that still rings true today. All children should believe they have the right and the ability to go to university - that is what we should be telling our children.

"Everyone can have a real role in Bermuda, and our children should be looking at what role they can play.

"The biggest lesson I learned from Michigan State was not what I got out of the books, but instead the history of the school itself.

"It developed education for the have-nots -- the farm children.

"They never got to Washington, but they did revolutionise agriculture.

Michigan State did not become the foremost law school, but it is the foremost veterinary school. Everyone can learn from that.'' Hodgson still ready to serve Bermuda and has three children, said despite losing his Cabinet seat, he looks back on his life so far and is thankful for the opportunities he has had.

One of the greatest moments he treasures is the 1998 election victory for the PLP.

"It was a great relief after all those years of struggling in Opposition to finally be in Government,'' said Mr. Hodgson. "But at that moment, I really remembered all those people who had supported the PLP for years and fought with me, who had died and never managed to actually see it happen. That was very sad.

"It was gratifying that The Lord had allowed me to live to see it, and being called upon to serve in Cabinet was the icing on the cake. I will be eternally grateful to Jennifer for asking me to serve.'' But he said, in spite of the long wait for victory and the history of the Island, being in Government soon lost its aura.

"Cabinet is just like any other committee I have served on,'' he smiled.

"It's a bunch of people sitting around a table trying to agree. There are different personalities, different perspectives and different motivations.

"It is quite mundane -- the backbenchers don't know how lucky they are.

"It was mundane and, above all, so many of the policies and philosophies that we had been so instrumental in laying down, were not being followed through.

"I suppose the disappointing thing is not so much that they weren't being followed, but that sometimes your colleagues did not know what you were talking about.'' And he said sustainable development was a perfect example.

"The concept of sustainable development is something I have always been committed to, but Government policies are very often contradictory.

"Being in Cabinet I found out that all policies go towards tourism -- and to a very high degree that is true.

"But I don't think it has such a high place in the arena now. There are a lot of other things going on in Bermuda, besides tourism.'' Mr. Hodgson said he felt some disappointment when he lost the fight for the leadership and was subsequently dismissed, but said he believed everything happens for a reason.

And he said in some ways he felt relief, but said his days are just as busy as they were before -- only now he is doing more varied things.

"Of course, I still have to earn a living, so I have been doing a bit of legal work, as well as getting back to my first love, farming my garden and construction,'' he continued.

"And instead of reading Cabinet papers, I now have time to do other reflective reading. I enjoyed my two years in Cabinet, but I'm enjoying my time now.

"I enjoy politics and I enjoy serving the people. But I think the struggle for Bermuda now is not to have a people's Government, but to have a good Government. It's important to give the people a voice, but it's also important that they move in the right direction.

"What I am looking for now is for us as Government not just to claim that we are Government of the majority, but as a Government we are doing the right thing.

"What we have done since the last election is go through our Platform and tick off things that we promised -- and to be honest we have a lot of ticks.

"But we have to make sure these are coherent policies that we are bringing together that are not contradictory.

"We have done a lot of the things we said, and we have done a lot of the things the United Bermuda Party was doing.

"Are we doing a good job? I don't know. The people have to answer that one.

The one question I would put to everyone is "are they better off as a result of the PLP Government.

"I would hope they would say yes.''