And he has issued "a clarion call for a grass roots revolution" to rein in an elite group "who seem to have completely ignored the words 'progressive' and 'labour' and who appear instead to be concentrating on the word 'party'."

Mr. Hall, who represented the PLP as an Opposition MP in Hamilton Parish for one term before losing his seat in the 1993 General Election, insisted that he remained fully committed to the party ? but alleged the current administration had forgotten why the party was originally formed ? to support the aims and goals of the Labour Movement.

The former top-flight criminal lawyer suggested that Alex Scott was nothing but a puppet Premier, put into office "by the same cabal that had brought about Jennifer Smith's leadership in order that that clique could continue to hold the reins of party leadership and power".

And he had some harsh words for other members of the Cabinet, mocking Works and Engineering Minister David Burch as "a public relations train wreck in slow motion" and claiming Health spokeswoman Patrice Minors was "clearly not capable of running her Ministry".

Listing a catalogue of concerns, including housing, health and the environment, Mr. Hall said: "Seven years is enough time for the PLP Government to have gotten things right in these areas and they have simply not cut it. Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

"When I returned to Bermuda last year as guest speaker at the BIU Annual Founders Day Banquet, I warned the PLP in no uncertain terms that it was in danger of losing its 'core supporters' because it had not delivered on its promise and because there was no real evidence of any serious intent on the part of what I call the 'inner circle' of the party hierarchy to do so," Mr. Hall told the

He said that during its time in Opposition, the PLP, as the spearhead of the Labour Movement, had worked tirelessly to dismantle a firmly entrenched power structure.

"That is the PLP which I joined and whose aims I espouse," Mr. Hall said.

"That particular PLP, while ideologically committing itself to fight racism in all its forms and guises, is a broad church open to all who espouse the aims and goals of the Labour Movement and who seek to institute progressive changes in the political and social body fabric. That's what I call the PLP, that's my PLP, and I have made no criticism whatsoever of that PLP.

"But that PLP appears to have been hijacked by another entity. A small elite group who seem to have completely ignored the words 'progressive' and 'labour' and who appear to instead to be concentrating, judging by their words deeds and actions on the word 'party'. That PLP has been demonstrating of late some pretty anti-democratic and authoritarian instincts. That PLP is becoming what they hate.

"I know that the legacy of racism includes some deep and serious resentment on the part of African Bermudians, but we have to get over it. We must move on. I don't want to be a part of a black political party. I am a Bermudian. We come in all colours; and we need each other."

Mr. Hall questioned why Government was so sensitive to even mild criticism, suggesting that it had become paranoid.

And he hinted that even Cabinet Ministers were gagged from speaking out against Government policies.

"Some of them tell me quietly secretly and confidentially how much they agree with what I have said, but they just don't seem to be able to get the same point across in either Alaska Hall or the Cabinet Building," he said.

"What are they afraid of? The PLP seems to think that people like me somehow placed our right of free speech and expression in a safety deposit box when we joined the party and that we have no right whatsoever to publicly criticise their PLP, even if we think the country is going down the tubes under their stewardship."

Mr. Hall, once regarded by many as a future Premier, recommended a shopping list of initiatives Mr. Scott should adopt in order to get Government back on track.

But he added that a divisive political system was at the heart of poor governance.

"The current Government needs, firstly, to be more inclusive," he said.

"Secondly, it needs to be more responsive to and respectful of the views and needs of Bermudians. Thirdly, it should be far less authoritarian and anti-democratic. Fourthly, consistent ? just consider its approach to criminal justice ? they really don't know what they are doing. Fifth, Government should be truthful ? the Westminster systems requires that Ministers who have misled Parliament must, I say must, resign if caught out. It's as simple as that and I say no more on the subject at this time. Finally, it needs to be much more transparent and lot less paranoid.

"Just because they are in the Opposition doesn't mean that the UBP ideas are always wrong and the PLP ideas are always right. And then there are those who support neither party, but who may want to contribute their skills and talents to the benefit of Bermuda. We are just too small for this party political system with all its politics of divisiveness and racial hatred. We have to grow up. We must learn to think outside of the box.

"We need an all-party, or rather non-partisan public discussion about some core issues which must be entrenched in our constitutional system and our system of human rights. Failing this, we shall either explode or implode as a community. Either way, it will not be nice and it will not be pretty."