Butler and Bean to run in Warwick

THURSDAY, MARCH 1: Environment Minister Marc Bean is to fight his Warwick South Central seat for the PLP again, the party announced today.

Long-serving MP Dale Butler will also contest his Warwick North East constituency after nearly 14 years representing the area.

Mr Bean, at 38, the youngest Government MP, paid tribute to the “blood, sweat and tears” of party pioneers.

But he said: “What is required today to secure our future is not the PLP of 1963…we need to think and act differently from what we did in the past.

“Times have changed and we naturally must change also.”

Mr Bean acknowledged that the PLP had made mistakes – but said that Government had learned from its errors and remained the best choice for Bermuda.

He said that the party remained committed to “a legacy worthy to be inherited by our children’s children.”

Mr Butler said the he would be standing on his track record as a community activist and constituency MP, as well as on his opinions on a national level.

He added that he was confident he would defeat OBA hopeful Mark Pettingill, despite a slim majority at the 2007 General Election.

Mr Butler said: “The numbers are not important to me – a one vote victory is a victory.”