As the Progressive Labour Party's annual conference kicks off today some of the party leaders are saying that they do not expect anyone to challenge Premier Jennifer Smith.

But guaranteeing the party leader's position, whoever that may be, for the next four years, is a regressive step, said backbencher Dale Butler.

Transport Minister Ewart Brown said a leadership challenge would not be the "wisest thing to do" at the conference.

Dr. Brown, who challenged the Finance Minister Eugene Cox for the deputy leadership at the 2000 conference, said he was not planning to launch any challenges this year.

"I have no plans at the moment," he said. "But being a politician, who knows?" He said he sees the primary focus of this year's conference as generating "sufficient momentum to win the next election". Asked if a challenge would help or hurt that cause, he said : "Unless there were unusual circumstances and depending on the timing of the elections, I don't think that would be the wisest thing to do."

Reginald Burrows, who has in the past been mentioned as a possible contender for the party leadership, said that he would be surprised if Ms Smith was challenged. "I haven't heard anybody say anything about anyone else running for the leadership," he said. "I'd think it's a bit late to try to change things right now."

Although former Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson has said he will contest the position if nominated, Premier Jennifer Smith's detractors in the back-benches had all but given up their quest to remove her by September this year when the party held its annual symposium.

Six months ago, however, they had demanded that the Premier resign her position and forced a vote on the matter - which resulted in a nine-nine tie. It later emerged that the vote may not have had legal force had it gone against the Premier because the Constitution states that only a vote of no confidence involving the entire parliamentary group, or the Premier's own resignation or death would lead to the Governor appointing a new Premier.

Mr. Butler said that the Premier has a "strong grassroots support base" and that a challenge would be futile.

Each branch will be represented by a number of delegates, depending on the strength of their membership.

And if there is a challenge, it will be the delegates, and not the parliamentarians, who will have the lion's share of the vote.

As a result of changes to the party's constitution, party officials can remain in office for four years after this week's conference, which takes place at the Fairmont Southampton Princess.

That, said Mr. Butler, is worrying.

"The Progressive Labour Party will stagnate," he said. "One of the things that excites the party is knowing that you can work with the leader of the party or the chairman for a year and challenge them the second year, if they don't do their job."

But changing the terms to four years was "the worst, most regressive step", the party could ever take, he said.

"A leader should be honoured to be challenged every two years", he continued. "It keeps them on their toes. For the next three years there won't be any interest in the conference, numbers will decline until the fourth year, and that could be disastrous."

He said a four year term amounted to "pure entrenchment" even if the person in charge was a great leader. "And if it's a poor leader, it's even worse. You have to go to extraordinary means to remove them. You are building a Teflon shield around them which I think people are going to regret."

A banquet on Saturday night will officially end the conference - which runs until Thursday - and will mark the fourth anniversary of the PLP's 1998 general election victory. Premier Jennifer Smith will be the keynote speaker.