feathers today when he addresses the public on what he believes a good Government leader should be.

The former Environment Minister, who was sacked from his Cabinet post after unsuccessfully challenging Premier Jennifer Smith to the leadership last November, will speak to members of Hamilton Rotary Club on a variety of issues.

However, high on his agenda is the issue of leadership and what he believes are the failings and successes of leaders.

He will tell members of the Rotary that even though the PLP won the last election, good leadership should not be taken for granted simply because of an electoral victory.

And he also believes an election does not justify a leader taking any action or making any decisions they wished.

Although his speech does not mention Government members in Bermuda or anyone specifically, it is bound to hit a raw nerve with some.

He promotes Bermuda as a world leader, and states that leadership does not derive from size or position or power.

And he will say that Bermuda can become an example to the world in every aspect of life.

The PLP MP will also talk of his love of the environment and how he wishes to continue to plead with Bermudians for a development strategy that is sustainable - something he was concentrating on as Minister of the Environment.

The Royal Gazette obtained excerpts of his speech last night.

It read: "Whether we are speaking in terms of the individual, the community, or the country, good leadership derives from character, from attitudes and from vision.

"And for that reason, not only can Bermuda be a world leader, but each of us can be a leader in whatever position we find ourselves.'' But he said winning an election should not lead to complacency.

His speech went on: "We cannot take good leadership for granted simply because it has gained power. It certainly is not the case that having followers or winning an election is a justification for any given action or a guarantee of any future.

"If Bermuda is to become a world leader, our greatest need is not to focus on the high profile positions of political office or positions in business, but on our individual roles in our families, in our social organisations, in our churches and in our communities.

"And this is not to ignore politics and business. But if we in Bermuda, as individuals can adopt the right attitudes, embrace the right vision and develop the right character, we will indeed present the world with a model that it can follow. And they will follow it.'' Hodgson to speak on leadership And the speech read that the aim of leadership should be to serve, and only to serve.

"It was Christ himself who taught that true leaders did not remain aloof from his followers, but one who washed their feet.

"The danger which leaders face is explained in another encounter with Christ.

The danger he points out is between the man who thinks that greatness comes from the exercise of power, and the man that recognises that greatness comes from the willingness to serve. The unyielding exercise of authority is not a virtue.

"Most leaders who seek office on the basis of their willingness to serve decide that they should reap greater rewards than they would other wise have and then seek to justify it by comparing themselves with those who are in Government or business who make no pretence that they are doing anything other than earning an income or a profit.

"The roar of the crowd must never seduce us into substituting power for service or emotion for reason.'' And he is set to explain how Bermuda is now on a new tide and everyone must be bold and have the courage to change, adopt new philosophies and new attitudes.

The speech continues: "Good leadership always takes history into account, but it is never simply driven by historical inertia.

"But the objective in choosing a leader is not for the benefit of the leader, but the benefit of the people who are being led.

"The good leader takes no benefit at all for himself. We make a real distinction between leadership, and position and power.'' When The Royal Gazette spoke to Mr. Hodgson last night he was keen to promote Bermuda as a world leader and said although it had some problems, there was nothing that it could not overcome - even racism.

"The concept of leadership implies two groups of people. Both followers and the persons who are being followed,'' his speech continues.

"Having followers represents great opportunity but it is not a sufficient condition to ensure maximum advantage being taken of that opportunity.

"If we here today can get it right on both sides of the equation, Bermuda can become an example to the world in every aspect of life.'' And he will say that while we bemoan the sad history of places like Bermuda, we cannot look to places like Haiti where freedom saw the liberators gain power, and find any better.