Progressive Labour Party members point to Paula Cox's quiet strength, integrity and loyalty as they explain her long-running popularity within party circles.

And while the specifics of many of her plans have been kept firmly out of the public eye, Ms Cox has at least one probable crowd-pleasing suggestion lined up for Thursday night's PLP delegates conference.

Deflating optimism from some in the international business community, the Deputy Premier has confirmed she will not be budging on the term limits legislation she introduced as Labour Minister early in her political career.

In recent weeks, international business sources said she had the edge over challenger Terry Lister because of her perceived flexibility on that subject.

One IB insider yesterday said it was difficult to understand why so many people got that perception, saying Ms Cox's mindset has always seemed to be pro-term limits.

Disappointment among a sector which has long been itching for term limits to be dropped will likely be offset by the reaction from the PLP ranks, which are said to support the concept.

Ms Cox has promised to return the PLP to the dizzying heights of its historic election victory of 1998 and heal some of Bermuda's divisions.

But her record as Finance But her record as Finance Minister has been criticised while debt has spiralled from $240 million four years ago to an estimated more than $1 billion today including the Butterfield Bank guarantee.

She has argued cash has gone towards vital initiatives such as making schools safe and health care programmes, but has vowed to cut debt by putting some capital projects on hold.

Meanwhile, Ms Cox last week pledged her commitment to radically reform the civil service to make it cost-effective will not mean redundancies.

While Mr. Lister and fellow contender Dale Butler have wide-ranging proposals in areas such as crime, education and spending, long-serving Cabinet member Ms Cox has often focused instead on promoting Government's record. Under a campaign slogan 'Moving Forward Together', Ms Cox has 12 broad objectives:

• educating every child for future work, career and life success.

Ms Cox has said she has hopes of a brighter future because the community and Government now appear ready to work together and internationally recognised benchmarks are being adopted. She has recently also called for parents to get involved in their child's performance at school.

• creating a framework for access to good jobs and better wages and overhauling job training schemes — saying individuals need to be prepared for multiple career changes and the creation of entirely new industries.

She also believes despite much criticism her payroll tax increase has encouraged businesses to be more innovative;

• strengthening public safety and security with community and civic engagement — she adds that new legislation giving Police more power holding gun crime suspects could make the first dent in the crime wave;

• bolstering tourism and international business by improving the Island's regulatory framework and welcoming foreign investment — she's further suggested medical tourism as an option;

• providing affordable and safe housing;

• encouraging environmentally-friendly products and services;

• using public-private partnerships to develop and invest in locally-owned businesses;

• promoting family and community-friendly policies and programmes;

• promoting local artists, entertainers and national sports;

• improving integrity of governance;

• advancing quality of life for seniors;

• continuing to provide affordable health care, saying Bermuda is currently on a "good wicket" in that area.

Ms Cox has said the shouting will be taken out of the race discussion, with a new emphasis on genuine reform to tackle stereotyping and income and economic disparity.

In a move which could displease some core PLP supporters, she's pointed to the possible outlawing of discrimination based on sexual orientation.She supports Independence, but has said it would be something she'd be more likely to tackle in a second term, with the immediate focus on the economy, jobs and crime.