The United Bermuda Party says it invited public flak to start its reform process as it looks to bounce back from three successive General Election defeats.

The Royal Gazette reported on Saturday how the Opposition came under fire in a self-commissioned poll, with people calling for old guard MPs to step aside because they represent the legacy which has doomed the party to failure.

Responding yesterday, party Chairman Sean Pitcher said the only way to lift the Opposition from the doldrums is to deal with criticism head on.

"We invited the criticism of the party and its leaders because we cannot be serious about improving ourselves unless we are prepared to look such criticism in the face and deal with it," said Mr. Pitcher.

"The report is an internal document that is being used by the party as it reorganises.

"It contains, as it should to be taken seriously, criticism of the party and its leaders. We are dealing with the comments in our efforts to improve."

The Opposition's survey revealed younger MPs such as Shawn Crockwell andDonte Hunt enjoy more support because they have worked hard to get in.

Reflecting on this newspaper's headline that "old faces" need to go from the party, John Barritt, who was an MP when the UBP was in power more than a decade ago, said: "I have been called many things worse than an 'old face'."

Asked for comment on the survey's findings, Mr. Barritt said:"It's an internal matter and I am not inclined to discuss internal party matters publicly and so reserve at this time any public comment I have on the issues raised."

Other long-serving MPs, Grant Gibbons, Trevor Moniz, Patricia Gordon-Pamplin and Louise Jackson, did not respond to e-mailed requests for comment.

The survey also showed most people would not choose Kim Swan as leader and were even unaware that Mr. Moniz was his deputy.

It was carried out in May after the party was repeatedly accused of failing to reform.

It lost its third successive election in 2007 and has now seen its number of seats in the House of Assembly drop to 12 following the resignations of Wayne Furbert and Darius Tucker.

Mr. Pitcher said yesterday: "The United Bermuda Party has already started to address change, most notably our party constitution, which is being actively reviewed to strengthen the branches and make the decision-making process more inclusive and transparent.

"We are determined to improve, and the exercise was taken to allow us to further identify those outmoded and ineffective aspects of the party and improve them. This evolutionary process will better allow us to serve Bermuda more effectively in our role as the Opposition."

He added that the information leaked to this newspaper was "very imbalanced", and the report also contains criticism of the Progressive Labour Party and its leaders.

Mr. Swan said: "It is important that we change and be seen as the Government in waiting Bermuda needs and deserves no less.

"A strong Opposition is critical to the success of Bermuda and it is our duty to provide that role."