Newcomer PLP MP Paula Cox yesterday joined long-time Shadow Minister father Eugene on the Progressive Labour Party front bench.

Ms. Cox -- who won late PLP leader Frederick Wade's Devonshire North seat almost exactly a year ago -- replaces disgraced Hamilton East MP and AME churchman Trevor Woolridge as the PLP Community and Cultural Affairs spokesman.

A delighted Ms Cox said last night: "It's always exciting to be promoted and this is a good Ministry to cut your teeth on because it can go anywhere.'' Ms Cox added: "The special aspect of it is that right now, where we are in terms of Bermuda, we can use Community and Cultural Affairs to try and shape the mood of the Country.

"Everybody realises we need to regroup as a community and Community and Cultural Affairs needs to be part of it.'' Ms Cox said that the controversial plans to redevelop the existing equestrian centre in Devonshire's Vesey Street was one where issues and interests needed to be balanced.

She added: "People may want to trivialise Community and Cultural Affairs, but it's the key to our sense of community, what we feel and what we want to do -- it's very important.'' The announcement came nearly a week after The Royal Gazette predicted Ms Cox would get a leg-up to the front bench.

Bank of Bermuda lawyer Ms Cox is a former public relations officer for the party and won Mr. Wade's seat last autumn. Her father is Deputy Leader and Shadow Finance Minister of the PLP.

Ms Cox's Opposition front bench position fell vacant after Mr. Woolridge quit the Shadow Ministry and the PLP whip to sit as an Independent following his conviction by private prosecution in Magistrate's Court on a charge of sexually assaulting a women parishioner.

Party leader Jennifer Smith initially backed Mr. Woolridge -- even though he was booted from the pulpit by the AME hierarchy -- drawing heavy fire from women's rights advocates and even causing unease inside her own party.

The party's paralysis in the face of the controversy was broken only when Mr.

Woolridge took matters into his own hands and quit the PLP.

But the three-week time-lag between the conviction -- which Mr. Woolridge will appeal -- was enough to cause severe damage to the PLP's image, especially among women voters, the majority in Bermuda.

Ms Smith was also threatened with legal action by lawyer for Mr. Woolridge's victim, Saul Froomkin QC, after she said that there had been a conspiracy to smear Mr. Woolridge and that "seemingly money had been made available'' to mount the prosecution. Mr. Froomkin took the case free of charge as a matter of conscience.

Ms Smith said last night: "Ms Cox brings to her new position a wide variety of skills and expertise, as well as poise and commitment. I'm sure she will be proactive in representing the interests included in her Shadow Ministry from the concerns of small business to issues confronting the cultural community.''