More than 20 young Progressive Labour Party members are said to be ready to break the party old guard's stranglehold and emerge as candidates at the next General Election.

One potential new face — 28-year-old party organiser Makai Dickerson — yesterday said he hopes veteran members at the forefront since the PLP came to power 12 years ago will step aside and give youth a chance.

Mr. Dickerson said about 25 active members aged under 30 appear ready to take advantage of PLP rule changes aimed at making it easier for people to break into the political field.

"I would hope in the next election that the more mature would step aside to let some fresh blood in. That would boil down to whether it's personal for them, or whether it's for the Country," Mr. Dickerson told The Royal Gazette.

"The majority of people want to see fresh blood represent them. If you don't want to step aside, you will have to be pushed aside. I have nothing against the older generation, but it's time.

"I'm willing to play a role however I can. Sometimes I do see myself putting myself forward as a candidate. I know things need to be done, changes need to be made. I'm not afraid to step up and make those.

"When an election is called, if I feel at that time I'm mentally ready, if I know enough to go forward, I will put my name forward.

"There's quite a few like myself that are quite capable of taking the stress if an election is called. It's also about if they want to. We have the fresh blood that is more than capable of taking the reins."

In recent elections, young members have found their path to Parliament blocked, most notably when the Southampton West branch selected Marc Bean as its candidate in 2007, only for then-Minister Randy Horton to be given the nod after an intervention from Premier Ewart Brown.

However, the rules were changed last month, meaning any PLP member can now put themselves forward as a potential candidate in any branch they choose. Branch members will then get the final say on who represents them at the polls.

As well as Mr. Dickerson and Senator Bean, other potential challengers mentioned to this newspaper include former chairman David Burt, lawyers Marc Daniels and Charles Richardson, campaign chairman Curtis Williams and Senator Walton Brown.

Mr. Dickerson said if he was to put himself forward it would be in his home of Sandys South Central, where veteran Walter Lister has held a seat comfortably for many years.

Mr. Dickerson joined the PLP shortly before the 2007 election and, after helping run the youth wing, has risen swiftly through the ranks. He is now party organiser for the West.

He paid tribute to the historic achievements of the older generation who helped the PLP sweep to power in 1998, but said of older members: "If not now, when will you step down? When will you give the opportunity to the younger generation if we want to step up?

"They have done their part. There are new challenges in the education system, with violence on the streets, socially.

"The best people for that job will be the people who have gone through it. When it came to race, those (older) faces were there. They applied that. Now they have an opportunity to let us young people do what they did.

"I don't know how it will pan out if a young person puts himself forward and the person in the seat doesn't want to leave. It will be up to the branches to decide."