Bermuda Party's Pembroke West Central primary tomorrow.

Incumbent the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto and the party's adopted candidate Mr. Elroy Ratteray are fending off a challenge from young lawyer Mr. Jerome Dill.

The two winners will take on Independent Mr. Stuart Hayward, who split the district with Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto in 1989, and whoever the Progressive Labour Party puts forward.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto, a lawyer, has been in the House of Assembly since 1980. She is Minister of Planning and the Environment and Deputy Premier.

Mr. Ratteray, a businessman and sports club president, was the UBP branch chairman in the constituency and is the party's adopted candidate.

Mr. Dill, a young lawyer, is making his first foray into elective politics. He has been involved in a number of organisations, such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Road Safety Council.

Dr. Marjorie Bean says determination and the ability to get things done are the qualities that drew her to Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto. And the fact that Mrs.

DeCouto is woman provided another reason to vote for her, she said.

"If she were a wimp I would not vote for her,'' Dr. Bean said. "It is not enough just to be a woman, but she is a good woman, a competent woman and a fit woman. I definitely will do all I possibly can to see she is returned.'' Dr. Bean got to know Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto through their work in women's activities: the 1974 International Women's Year Committee and the founding of the Business and Professional Women's Association the following year.

To Dr. Bean, a retired educator and former Legislative Council member, Mrs.

Cartwright DeCouto has fulfilled the goals of that work: To encourage and help women achieve their potential and reach decision-making positions in business, professional and public life.

"She was fulfilling the role that we felt women should play. I think she has served with distinction. She is forthright, she has a sound mind. She has common sense and savvy and knows how to express herself well.'' Dr. Bean said Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto has received unfair criticism for the role she has had to play as Environment Minister.

"She got a great deal of flack in dealing with the fisheries problem, but I think over the long run she was proved to be correct. She was determined and she stuck with it.'' "I think she listens to people and I think she spends a great deal of time in trying to be a good parliamentarian.'' And faults? "I don't think Ann suffers fools gladly. Some people may think she's inflexible, but I don't think so.

Mr. George W. Smith says he will vote for the candidate with the strongest ties to youth, and the strongest ties to the community. In both cases, he said, that means voting for Mr. Ratteray.

Mr. Smith, a painting contractor and musician, admits Mr. Ratteray may be the older primary candidates.

But he is also the one with strongest ties with the area's youth, Mr. Smith says. He has long been involved in sporting activity, has taken youth teams on trips abroad, and is president of Western Stars Sports Club.

"He's shown an interest,'' Mr. Smith said. "It's not just talk.'' "I think he's the right man for the job because he is very interested in the young people and I think that's most important in Bermuda at this time. We must pay attention to our young people. We must not forget them. This country belongs to them.'' "I think it's very, very important that people never forget that the young people are the people of the future. We have to take care of them, and he not only talks about it: He acts.

"I think the young people identify with him because of the sports clubs and the things that he has done. He came up with the PHC football team. He was on the football team. He played cricket. He was a good sportsman.

"What we don't need is people who will pretend to be interested, get a seat, and then forget about the young people. I don't think he will.'' Another important factor, Mr. Smith said, is that Mr. Ratteray knows the constituency better, he believes, than any other candidate.

To Mr. E. Kirk Cooper , lawyer Mr. Dill is one of the bright young Bermudians into whose hands the reins of power must be passed.

"The country has to be turned over,'' Mr. Cooper said. "There was a time in the past when perhaps it wasn't turned over soon enough. I think it's time. If you keep them waiting in the ranks too long, you lose them.'' Mr. Cooper, an accountant, said his son is a friend of Mr. Dill's and about the same age, and it was through him that he met the candidate.

"He's young, well-educated and energetic,'' Mr. Cooper said. And his educational background -- with degrees in economics as well as law, from Canada as well as the US -- was particularly suitable for Bermuda, he said.

Although Mr. Dill is running for the first time, Mr. Cooper said he has canvassed the constituency thoroughly and talked to its residents. "He has been involved in enough things that he has an insight into our problems. I think he's going to do an outstanding job.

"Energy by itself is one thing,'' Mr. Cooper said. "But I think he knows how to direct his energies in a way that is most productive to the community. He obviously is a partner of Appleby, Spurling & Kempe at a fairly young age.

He's got the energy to deal with that as well as to become a political candidate and address the issues.''