ENTREPRENEUR Kenny Bascome this week announced his plans to run for a seat in St. George's during the next General Election but said he was undecided whether he would run as an Independent or under the banner of a political party.

Mr. Bascome, who unsuccessfully ran as an Independent candidate in the 1998 election that swept the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) to power for the first time, said he felt the political and social climate had since changed.

"People usually come and speak to me and, while I don't encourage them to speak in any particular way, many I've spoken with have expressed how disillusioned they are with the way the country is being run.

"I believe that between now and the next election, there will be many more who become disillusioned, even more disillusioned than (others) are at this particular period in time. My soul, my heart, lies in the community of St. George and (because of this), because I care so much about what happens here, I have made my mind up. I will be a candidate in the next General Election."

A former member of the PLP, Mr. Bascome ran as an Independent in St. George's North after he split from the party. The move was necessary, he said at the time, because he was being treated unfairly by members despite the diligent efforts he'd made on behalf of the party over the years.

However, the final election count placed Mr. Bascome a distant fifth out of the six vying candidates and he declared his career in politics suspended, saying it was "unlikely" he would ever rejoin the PLP.

"I don't believe I have a political future at this time," he said in 1998, "but I will continue to be the civic-minded individual

"I've been all along and will continue to work with young people who continue to fall afoul of the law.

"I'm not completely disheartened, but as far as politics are concerned I think I can walk away with a sense of dignity and pride because I believe in myself."

This week, although unsure what platform he would run on, Mr. Bascome said St. George's was the only constituency in which he would ever canvass.

"I will be a candidate in the next General Election although whether as an Independent or under the banner of a party, I have not yet decided. You could never convince me to run anywhere other than in St. George's.

"I have many thoughts, beliefs and aspirations as an individual who at one time would have given his life for the ideas and philosophies of Bermuda's Progressive Labour Party," he said. "But then I see people accepting titles that were once scorned upon and frowned upon prior to being Government.

"These individuals, who felt the need to take on certain titles, had a change of heart in their philosophies and ideologies. Is it impossible then, that I could also have a similar change of heart in my philosophies and ideologies?

"The community of St. George made an effort to undermine my financial stability. It was an eye-opening experience, particularly when I look back at how I helped families send their children to school and meet their mortgage payments.

"I believed I was an asset to the community but it's evident that the community did not see me as the asset I actually was.

"However, I thrive off coming from behind. The first time I stood for the Corporation of St. George, I lost to someone by two votes.

"The second time, I beat the person who beat me by two votes by 28. And there are a number of people who were initially very irritated with me, who now have a different outlook.

"I've said very often, that the United Bermuda Party won election after election because of the economic stability they brought to the island.

"The Progressive Labour Party has promised many things that people have not seen; people have not received things that were promised that they believed were going to improve their lot.

" For many people that I've spoken with, they voted with the belief that something would be done to improve their lot.

"For many, the items on their agenda were addressed before the election (and) ignored later. And that's why I am going to be a candidate in the next General Election."