Deputy Premier Paula Cox says she can tailor her policies to the people that matter after reaching out to all levels of society through her Progressive Labour Party leadership bid.

Ms Cox has met with entrepreneurs, taxi drivers, at-risk men, unions, environmentalists, seniors and tourism operators during her campaign ahead of Thursday night's crunch vote at Berkeley Institute Cafetorium.

And while she's taken a less public route than challenger Terry Lister's series of town hall meetings, the Finance Minister says she's done enough behind the scenes to establish what needs to be done to take Bermuda forward.

"The focus was to spark discussion and dialogue and for me to hear and to listen," Ms Cox told The Royal Gazette yesterday, as she prepares to go head to head with Mr. Lister and Dale Butler.

"I have enjoyed the process and I have found it productive and meaningful. The best policies are made when policymakers hear live and direct from those who policies are designed to affect."

Ms Cox also hit back at suggestions some of her supporters have embarked on a dirty campaign by trying to intimidate members into avoiding Mr. Lister's meetings.

"While I have found interesting the political machinations, politics is not a Sunday school picnic and there have been no surprises," she said. "I have been proud of my campaign team. They have been principled, focused and diligent. They believe in fair play and are not distracted by the noise.

"They know as I do that I am running for office not against anyone else, so no negative campaigning has been waged by me or any member of my campaign team. "They have conducted themselves with honour and integrity and not been into smear tactics or anti-campaigns. That is admirable and I am pleased despite all the provocation and misrepresentations.

"I thank and appreciate their unswerving commitment not just to me but to taking the high road and to doing their best to serve the interests of Bermuda and the Progressive Labour Party."

Many PLP members have long said Ms Cox is in line for a coronation as party leader and Premier after Ewart Brown steps down this week; she has been publicly supported by more than half the PLP's MPs and large numbers of senior party members.

She has given few media interviews since launching her bid with a fanfare at the Arboretum, with last week's Sandys Rotary Club speech a rare moment in the public spotlight.

Some in the party are said to have praised Ms Cox for carrying out her campaign behind closed doors.

But yesterday she said as well as meeting key groups she's also held a question-and-answer session for women in the Chamber of Commerce and another at a salon, had discussions with stakeholders in the Mincy Report into young black males, spoken to seniors at a Bermuda Industrial Union luncheon, hosted a happy hour for branches at Shine's nightclub in Reid Street, and held a fashion show to raise funds for local retailers and designers.

"I have spoken to constituencies and made myself available to answer any and all queries that have been raised," she said. "There were no 'no-go areas'. I have enjoyed the dialogue and interchanges."

Yesterday, Mr. Butler said he had still not received an official list of the delegates who will be making the big decision; however Ms Cox indicated the list has been made available.

She said: "Now that the delegate list has been made available, no delegate need worry that I or any member of my team will be following up to call or to harass them whether at home or at work. Its value to me is as an historic document and to confirm the numeric tally of delegates.

"I will continue to stay the course and be true to who I am. Thursday evening I will do the necessary and be true to my principles."

• Follow the election live with The Royal Gazette. We will be bringing you live updates, commentary and reaction as the PLP chooses its next leader and Premier of Bermuda on Thursday. Go to www.royalgazette.com and click on the election logo at the top of the page and join the debate.