HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC — A by-election to fill former premier Ewart Brown’s Warwick South Central seat is to be held on December 15, Premier Paula Cox announced on Monday.
Brown, 64, stepped down last month after four years as Premier and 17 years as a Progressive Labour Party (PLP) MP. Brown was also Tourism and Transport Minister. Former government senator Marc Bean, used by Brown as an aviation adviser, will run for the ruling party in what is a PLP stronghold and is expected to face two opposition opponents.
The Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA) on Monday named insurance executive Sylvan Richards, as its candidate, while the United Bermuda Party (UBP) has not yet announced who its challenger will be. Richards said he hopes to hopes to hold government accountable if elected, particularly when it comes of overspending. He said a change in Bermuda’s politics was needed.
“The good, hard-working people of (Warwick South Central) deserve integrity, transparency and accountability from their elected representative,” he told a news conference. “It’s a distinct privilege and honour to be the candidate … I look forward to representing the people, every single voter. “What I have noticed is a tremendous amount of love on the doorstep. I also recognise that the constituency is very family-oriented. Many of the problems that they face are also the problems that other constituencies face,” he added.
The PLP currently holds 23 of the 36 seats on the House of Assembly, the UBP has nine, the BDA three and there is also one independent. Meanwhile, PLP backbencher Wayne Perinchief, a former police chief, has been elected Deputy Speaker of the House in place of Dame Jennifer Smith, who led the PLP to its first election victory in 1998. Smith was forced to step down from the deputy’s post because she is now Education Minister, a role she first held 12 years ago.
