Senator Michael Scott was yesterday formally announced as the Progressive Labour Party's (PLP) candidate for the Sandys North by-election on March 4.

Flanked by party leader, Premier Alex Scott, branch executive Brenda White, and party Chairman Neville Tyrell, Sen. Scott promised to set about building bridges in the community, tackle the issue of young men loitering about in the Cambridge Road and Public Wharf areas and advocate for seniors.

"I can tell you that I have started the conversation at several levels already with my pastor and church leaders of other churches, with business leaders in the Cambridge Road area and with the voters of Sandys North," he said.

"But the conversation that has pride of place in my book is the conversation I have begun with the young ? and not so young ? men who spend their time on Cambridge Road."

Sen. Scott added later that young people needed to be heard, and he was prepared to do some listening.

"I believe in reintegrating them. Some of them may have aspirations of leaving the Island," he said.

"Maybe some of them have drug convictions that keep them from leaving the Island."

Sen. Scott paid tribute to the late Eugene Cox, who represented the area until his death last month, saying he was honoured to have the opportunity "to stand on the shoulders of a giant".

Premier Scott who kicked off the Alaska Hall Press conference, referred to Sen. Scott as the "people's candidate" who will be contesting the seat against "a new, untested comer to the political arena".

The pair explained at question time that Sen. Scott had secured funding from a local businessman to redesign the building at Public Wharf to make it harder for people to engage in "illicit acts" there.

"It will now become a point where folks will not want to be there for anything other than the intended (legal) purpose."

The Premier boasted that Sen. Scott's "seasoned nature" gave him a headstart over the "newcomer" ? Opposition candidate Corin Smith.

He too paid tribute to the late Eugene Cox. "It is his legacy. It is his level of commitment and his devotion to party that we see remarkably reflected in several ways in our choice of candidate here today," the Premier said.

Sen. Scott "has distinguished himself particularly as a tireless advocate for the local community not withstanding his direct involvement in providing management services for the Malabar Close condo community development, his unwavering membership with the Allen Temple AME Church on Sound View Road in Somerset and his patronage of the A.C. Copeland Simmons Scholarship Fund."