etting out his stall yesterday, newly-crowned Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert made it clear that the change at the top of the United Bermuda Party was a "natural progression" not a coup that saw Dr. Gibbons elbowed out.

"I would use the terminology that there is a 'season for everything.' As summer follows spring, the season for my good friend Grant has come to an end and my season is beginning although my fruit bearing has not yet begun," he declared.

"It's time for a new beginning with a new leader who will move forward. I have a great passion for this little country of ours. It's unique because of its smallness and there are some things that we should be able to get right. We want to bring a new political dynamic to Bermuda ? a new approach to politics."

One of his key visions is to "break the shackles" of the race issue, which he believes has stopped politics moving forward amid the belief that "if you are not in my corner you are my enemy".

"We've got to remove the perception of black and white parties as over the years it's held the country back," he said.

"Unfortunately over the years we have concentrated on some of the things that have caused families to go against families because we define ourselves as either PLP or UBP. We want to bring a new approach.

"We need to have parties where we are not at each others throats all the time. There are things that the PLP does that are good and we will praise them for those.

"We have to try to remove the antagonism and hatred between parties. You will see people accepting each other more, not based on their party."

Mr. Furbert admitted that he had had his eye on the leadership since being elected UBP chairman in 2000, revealing: "People came forward and asked me (to put myself forward.) I made myself available to the party during our discussions."

But when asked if the UBP will be more electable now that there is a black leader in charge, he said: "I don't think that is the case at all. One of my deepest concerns and one of my visions is to ensure that we live out Martin Luther King's dream that we are not judged by the colour of our skin but by the contents of our character. Bermuda is small enough to ensure that that dream is carried out.

"Yes, I'm a little darker than my friend Grant ? not much darker ? but it is not about my colour but the contents of my heart. The last time I cut myself the colour of my blood was the same colour as my good friend Grant. The heart of the individual was the reason my colleagues appointed me."

Mr. Furbert, who prior to his rise to the top of the party was Deputy Opposition leader and Shadow Minister of Housing, said the housing issue would remain close to his heart.

Other key goals include pushing for a better deal for seniors and making sure that everyone has a part of Bermuda's economic success.

Mr. Furbert has been a long-time advocate of a code of conduct and legislation that would create an independent investigative body and tough penalties for political corruption.

"The UBP, when it wins the next election, will ensure that we protect politicians from ourselves," he explained.

He is also passionate in his belief that every Bermudian must be helped to reach their full potential through a solid education. "We have to prepare for our people to compete globally and our young people must be the best," he urged.

Clearly raring to get his teeth into his now role as soon as Parliament resumes, he added: "It's important for those individuals who will come on board to the UBP to see a change and a shift in focus. They know we have had our spanking and now it's time for the PLP to have a spanking.I hope that with new leadership will come new energy - this is just the start."