After being a member of the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) for 30 years, the Island's first political party abandoned him, according to Kenneth Bascome.

But his defection to the Opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) is not an act of revenge, he insists. Mr. Bascome, a businessman and alderman of the St. George's Corporation joined the UBP some three months ago and was recently approved as a candidate to contest elections.

He was initially approached by party chairman Wayne Furbert almost two years ago, he explained. "After initial discussions, I believe they have the interests of the community at heart and I decided to become a member."

Asked why he left the PLP, he said: "I would not say I left the PLP, I would say the PLP left me." The relationship began to founder when Leon (Jimmy) Williams, the Premier's running mate died and a suitable candidate had to be found. The party settled on Delaey Robinson, a decision which stung Mr. Bascome who then became an independent candidate. His problem was not that he wasn't selected but the manner in which the decision was made, Mr. Bascome said.

His mother was told by "one particular person" that "there was no way they could use me because I cannot do as I'm told."

And party leader Jennifer Smith never bothered to call him despite his years of service. "The Premier could find me whenever there was anything to be done on behalf of the party, but when the meeting was held to select her running mate I was not informed... Put yourself in my shoes. Would you be able to work within the realm of a branch that you were a part of, after being treated the way I was treated?"

Still he would have "given it serious consideration" if he had been approached by the PLP prior to joining the Opposition," he said. And he does have some issues with Government's performance.

"What I find now is that some of the hard core supporters are supporting wrongdoing," he continued. "I listened to people make comment that as black people we have been left out of the mainstream of economics... That we have not been included in the decision making process. Then in the same breath they say that integration has been delivered to black people."

Mr. Bascome says he is keen on representing the people of St. George's where he has lived all his life and served on the Corporation for the last five years. Based on his experience on the Corporation, he said, Government appeared to be "anti-Mayor".

"And in my opinion, when you attempt to stifle the Corporation you are stifling the whole progress and growth of the community."

He added that even if he is not selected as a candidate for the UBP, he will work on making sure the party wins the election.

As the former Tobacco Bay concessionaire, Mr. Bascome feels he has an understanding of the tourism product, but he is most proud of the fact that he can relate to young people who may be on the verge of falling through the cracks.

At 19, he had his own brush with the law when he assaulted a police officer. He paid for that crime, but it came back to haunt him when he went to Canada to visit a relative and found he had been put on the stop list.

"I was pulled out by an Immigration officer, arrested and detained in a maximum-security prison for the night and sent back home the following day," he said. "I had every revengeful thought... I thought it was just done to frustrate me as a young person. But after coming back I decided to use my aggression in a positive way."

The experience, and his mother's disappointment, left him with a resolve to become a "force to reckon with" in the community.

Mr. Bascome said that his decision to join the UBP has generated much criticism from some quarters and suggestions that he has a personal agenda.

But "when I stand up, I stand up for every young person who has made a mistake - to show them that if you stand up and get respect the community will forgive you for your transgressions. And when I was elected to the Corporation, I believe that was forgiveness by the community."

Asked whether he was a Christian, Mr. Bascome said : "I am not a Christian. I go to church periodically. I believe there's a higher Being. I ain't no born-again Christian, I basically try to do what is proper and moral... and try to stay a positive example. And my pet phrase is `adults create, children imitate'."

He described himself as a "team player when required." But if his party's line "doesn't jive with my conscience, I would have the fortitude to speak to the powers that be. I could tell you I won't abstain or walk out of the House. Why couldn't I be a team player if I voted `no' to something ? If a boat is sinking and my thought is to do the opposite to what you were doing, what would you say then ?"