Four candidates have pledged to be the people's voice and the Government's social conscience if elected to the House of Assembly.

And if only one member of the National Liberal Party quartet is able to make the grade, he or she could hold the balance of power if this year's General Election result is as close as some are predicting.

The NLP is plagued by a lack of funding, although the party has received its first corporate donation in the lead up to this election, but has unveiled a slate of four candidates for this election.

NLP chairman Charles Jeffers, Graeme Outerbridge, Edwin Armstrong and Frances Breary are calling on Bermudians to "Let us be your voice'' in Smith's North and South and in Devonshire North.

The party's positioning for the election is a pledge to put the focus back on community concerns.

Mr. Jeffers noted the to-ing and fro-ing between the UBP and PLP on subjects related to finance and the international business sector and pointed out: "That is not what is going to kill Bermuda.

"It is the social issues that will kill Bermuda. We are selling ourselves as the social conscience for Government. We will speak for the people. Let us be your voice.

"If one or two members of the NLP are elected in this upcoming election, they could make a world of difference in how politics run in Bermuda. If the election is close...our vote will be crucial to pass legislation.

"The position of the NLP is clear. We will support legislation coming from either side of the House that we think is in the best interest of Bermuda. We will offer amendments if we feel they are needed and we will bring forward legislation ourselves.

"Bermuda will be the beneficiary.'' Mr. Jeffers will run in Smith's North and noted the lack of long-time incumbents Ernest DeCouto and Leonard Gibbons as well as the presence of a single PLP candidate, Patrice Parris, as his reasons for choosing that constituency.

Mr. Outerbridge is running in Smith's South where he finished with 13.5 percent of the vote in the 1993 election. Mr. Jeffers pointed out that Mr.

Outerbridge once came within 73 votes of seizing a seat in that constituency and that knowledge, plus the presence of only one PLP candidate -- Lt. Col.

David Burch -- led the NLP to believe it had a chance there.

In Devonshire North, Mr. Armstrong and Ms Breary will go up against PLP incumbents Lois Browne Evans and Paula Cox and UBP candidates Charles Hollis and Alexander Ming.

Mr. Jeffers said the feeling in the PLP stronghold was that community concerns were not being addressed by the area's MPs.

"They want to run there,'' he said of Ms Beary and Mr. Armstrong. "They feel that the issues the area faces need to be properly addressed.'' The NLP was formed in 1985, a year after six Progressive Labour Party members were expelled from the group. A General Election was called before they were able to earn re-instatement and four of the six who were MPs ran for Parliament under the NLP banner.

Two were re-elected, Gilbert Darrell and Austin Thomas, but in the 1989 General Election, Mr. Thomas lost his seat, leaving Mr. Darrell as the only NLP MP. He became the last NLP MP when he lost that seat in 1993 after the NLP put forward eight candidates.

Since then, the NLP has given its future serious thought.

"It goes without saying that there were many things -- frustration, a loss of support -- people began to doubt the need for the existence of the NLP. We did some very serious soul searching and it's not been easy.'' But a need was recognised after constituents said they were unhappy with one political party but noted there was no chance of them voting for the competition.

"So the NLP soldiers on,'' said Mr. Jeffers.

If failure comes again at the upcoming Election the NLP will be forced to re-evaluate its position again.

"We will go back to the drawing board. We will make our decision on our future based on fact.'' Charles Jeffers Graphic file name: CHARLIE