The United Bermuda Party has already met with financial experts to determine how they can fund their election pledges.

At a UBP lunch for professional women yesterday, UBP deputy leader Patricia Gordon Pamplin said her party had set up a financial committee that outlined what they would and would not be able to deliver ¿ and that was the basis for pledges within its Agenda for Change.

"We aren't making empty promises," she said. "We know we can deliver. The committee was comprised of former Cabinet Ministers, a former Finance Minister and myself as Shadow Finance Minister, and an accountant by profession.

"In addition, we have co-opted the input of others who are familiar with Government Operations," she added.

"With that level of expertise, we have the prior experience of putting together a budget, and we have been able to look at what has been presented by the Government and have dissected it to see where we can pare expenditure without cutting programmes, and also to pay for additional programmes that we have costed."

New candidate Donte Hunt, who is running in St. George's South against Attorney General Philip Perinchief, discussed the UBP's plans to ease the financial burden of families.

He said: "Strong families are the building blocks of strong communities, which is why we must do all that we can to nurture and support them.

"The United Bermuda Party has developed a comprehensive plan called Pathways to Success, a lifelong programme to empower Bermudians, particularly families, at key stages in their lives.

"Starting with childcare, the United Bermuda Party will strengthen families by; expanding maternity leave and increase the number of Government day care centres to three; giving financial support to ensure every family can afford day-care to preschool age."

The support will continue throughout primary school with the UBP pledging to provide free bus and ferry services for all students and introduce Life Choices classes that will be an essential tool in teaching students personal management, deportment and the consequences of poor life choices

"We will continue the support at secondary school, with improved career mentoring and counselling, and we will introduce discipline programmes to ensure children get the chance to study in a stable environment," he said.

"Not all students settle well at school, so we would create bursaries for those at risk to give them the chance to study overseas.

"No Bermudian should be denied the chance of a higher education because they cannot afford it, so the United Bermuda Party will provide interest-free loans of up to $15,000 a year to students."

He added that those who did not succeed academically would be able to avail of more technical education opportunities and that his party hoped to increase course geared toward International Businesses at the Bermuda College.