The United Bermuda Party is urging Government to consider multi-member constituencies as one way of ensuring a fairer electoral system.

The UBP does not believe Government's planned constitutional reforms to introduce single seat constituencies of equal sizes under a first past the postsystem is the best way forward.

Premier Jennifer Smith wants to reduce the number of MPs from 40 to an unspecified number between 20 and 40.

She has tabled a bill to allow a Boundaries Commission to redraw the Island's constituences into single seats based on equal numbers of voters.

But yesterday UBP leader Pamela Gordon attacked Government for planning to introduce single seat consituencies under the first past the postsystem when Britain is moving away from this because it is unfair.

Ms Gordon said one way to achieve a fairer voting system would be multi-member constituencies on a one man one vote basis. But she stressed other options could also be considered.

Under this system, the Island's nine parishes would be regarded as single constituencies, but larger parishes would get more MPs based on the number of voters.

For example, if Pembroke had 8,000 voters it would get eight MPs, while if Paget had 1,000 voters it would get one MP.

She said the Progressive Labour Party was caught in a "timewarp'' for proposing this when the United Kingdon realised this model did not produce the most representative legislature.

And she said it was ironic that the British Labour Government was planning to have any changes emerging from the independent Jenkins Report on the electoral system ratified by the British people in a referendum when the PLP did not trust Bermudians to have a referendum on its plans.

She said: "Either the Government is going to have to drop their arguments that one man one vote is a vote of equal value, and call it what it is -- first past the post.

"The UK Government, which we patent most of our Westminster style system on, is looking at the first past the postsingle seat arrangement because of concern.

"The recommendations of the Jenkins Report will go before a referendum which the Labour Gaovernment has asked for.

"Britain has found this system to be unfair and is moving away from it and the recommendation of the Jenkins Report is to have a mixed system and two votes.

"They are moving away from a system which the PLP is moving towards which suggests our Government is stuck in a timewarp.

"If you are looking for a fair and equitable solution where each vote is of equal value, we can look at multi-member constituencies where everyone has one vote.

"If people feel we must move away from what we have, then this is a viable alternative but it needs to be thrashed by some mechanism that will have input from both sides.'' The Royal Gazette faxed questions about the UBP's proposals to the Premier yesterday afternoon but did not receive a response.

Pamela Gordon