An "internal party matter" has led to the resignation of the United Bermuda Party's (UBP) campaign chairman, Terrett West, party leader Grant Gibbons confirmed yesterday.

UBP veteran Austin Woods has replaced Mr. West in what Dr. Gibbons described as a "seamless transition".

Dr. Gibbons would not say why Mr. West resigned. "We talked about it and I accepted his resignation. It really is not useful to talk about the whys and wherefores."

Mr. West, 49, replaced David Sullivan in July last year.

The president of Windward Management Ltd headed up the party's Pembroke West Central branch for three years after returning home from studies in 1985 and contested a Paget West primary in 1991.

When contacted yesterday he said that he had stepped down a week ago because of the time commitment the post requires.

"I run a small business here and and you cannot ignore it forever," he said. "There's lots to do at work here and you've got to decide whether you want to keep doing it for a living or not."

Mr. West denied a suggestion that he underestimated the job when he accepted it during the summer. But he said that he had felt that the elections would have been called sooner.

He added that he would "probably" continue to be involved in his party's affairs.

Mr. Woods is off the Island and could not be reached by presstime last night.

Dr. Gibbons said that a new party chairman - to replace Wayne Furbert, who has announced his intention to step down so he can contest the elections - will be announced within the next week.

"We have identified a new party chairman but he has not gone through the process at this point," he said.

When asked, the party leader said that he was not concerned that two key posts were in transition in an election year. "There's been a lot of changes in the United Bermuda Party over the last few years," Dr. Gibbons said. "I think we have been dealing with them well and making good progress."

General elections must be called by November this year.