their campaigns are on track and on target.

The Progressive Labour Party says it used the first full week of campaigning to "lay the foundation'' for its election platform, which is to be introduced later today.

And the United Bermuda Party says it worked to put forward its message that it has a new generation of candidates armed with a "Blueprint'' to guide the Island through a changing world.

Despite the rosy self-assessments, spokesmen for both parties say their opposite numbers are fumbling the ball.

PLP campaign co-chairman Mr. Alex Scott says the UBP failed in the first half of the campaign to engage the public's imagination with its "Blueprint for the Future''.

"The Blueprint will become an also-ran,'' he said. "It's going to become an entirely different campaign with our platform out there.'' His comment contains a hint that the PLP platform will help the party seize the initiative in the final week of the campaign -- an indication there may be some truth in UBP questions about the PLP effort so far.

When asked about the Opposition's election campaign at the half-way point, one UBP insider said "Where's the beef?'' He said the PLP had allowed a week to go by without putting out a coherent party platform while "muzzling'' candidates from speaking with the Press on policy questions.

"The difference in the first week is that the UBP has delivered a clear message while there has been hesitation, retraction and confusion by the PLP,'' he said.

The campaign began on Thursday, September 16 with the Premier calling the people to vote on Tuesday, October 9.

Hours later, PLP leader Mr. Frederick Wade, with MP Miss Jennifer Smith and campaign co-chairman Mr. Terry Lister, flew to Washington to participate in the Congressional Black Caucus.

The three-day visit was used to demonstrate the Party had a relationship with Washington and that it was using it to help Bermuda on the Base issue. But in doing so, it locked horns with the UBP on an issue it was determined not to give ground.

As a result, the Base became the dominant issue of the first week with the two parties trading tit-for-tat Press conferences and news releases to get in the last word.

The UBP slammed the PLP effort as meddling.

Mr. Wade countered that his telephone communications followed by his weekend visit had given the PLP more success in Washington than the Government.

The Premier scoffed at the claim and charged that PLP politicking was jeopardising Bermuda's Washington effort.

On Wednesday, US Congressman Robert Torricelli called The Royal Gazette to warn that the politicisation of the Base issue was threatening to undermine Bermuda's diplomatic effort.

At the same time, the two parties stepped back with both leaders saying they wanted to move onto other issues.

But on Thursday, the Premier was back at Mr. Wade damning him for saying he wanted to move his campaign focus to domestic issues.

The Base issue, the Premier said, is a domestic issue.

The following day, he held a Press conference to outline in dollars and cents how important the Base was to the domestic economy.

When asked why the UBP was spending so much time on the Base issue, Technology Minister the Hon. Mike Winfield said: "The reason we're pouring it on is that people are really worried about it.'' He said that determination had been the message picked up by UBP candidates in their canvassing.

The first full week of the campaign also saw the PLP get briefly sidetracked by questions about what their candidates could and could not say to the Press.

The Royal Gazette wrote a story that candidates had been gagged from communicating with the media except through written statements.

"Our life has been made miserable'' by Press coverage, Mr. Wade said. The next day Mr. Wade qualified his statements saying that any PLP policy statements would have to be made in writing and that candidates were "free to talk to the media about constituency matters ...'' The bulk of the week was comprised of Press conferences in which the two parties elaborated on party positions.

UBP campaign chairman Mr. Grant Gibbons said his party will continue with that effort this week.

"But our real effort will remain focused on the doorsteps of the voters,'' he said.

For the PLP, Mr. Scott said the party's tactics of issuing "tidbits'' from the party's platform will end today when Mr. Wade introduces it.

"The public is going to be astounded by the comprehensiveness of this document,'' he said. "Debate will centre around it.'' OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION