He could have remained one of the Bermuda's dozens of alienated black men ? but Marc Bean jumped into the political waters with both feet, when he told the ruling party he wanted to be the Sandys North by-election candidate.

Despite getting zero votes, he says he's even more inspired to participate in the political process than he was before he threw his hat in the ring.

Mr. Bean, who makes a living as a taxi driver, but also qualified as an air traffic controller and commercial pilot, had never before participated in Bermuda's political process ? not even as a voter.

Today he's committed to taking on responsibility in the governance of this Island ? in or out of Parliament.

He attributes his turnaround to Alex Scott's ascendancy to the Premiership.

"Up until Alex Scott came into power I was very uninterested in the political process," he said.

"Because I felt up until that point the interests of the common man, especially my people ? people of African descent ? were not completely being served.

"And I was feeling what most of the youth feel ? we cannot relate to politics, so we are not going to participate in politics. Premier Scott is a PR man but, not discounting all that, he comes across as being very genuine. He's a Premier that seeks consensus and he's been the glue that's kept the party unified."

And, no, he said when asked, Mr. Scott had no idea he was doing this interview.

Most important, for Mr. Bean perhaps, is the Premier's call for young men to get involved in the political process.

"That's the first time that that message has come across from anyone in Government."

Senator Michael Scott was the eventual winner of the ruling party's nomination process last week.

Mr. Bean was one of three, including former Government Senate Leader David Burch, who were eliminated in the first round of voting.

He said he was not surprised no one voted for him because he had not canvassed the Sandys North membership for their support.

"I was just really testing the waters to see if it's cold or warm. And from what I gauge it's really warm, pleasant even."

He said that while MPs are in a position to directly shape and influence policy, "you don't have to be an MP to provide leadership".

"In the future, if I see there's a need and there's a void, I would put myself forward. But there are ways to be effective without being a Member of Parliament."

He said he had already learned a lot from all the potential candidates he has met during his brief foray into politics.

"I took a page from (Sen. Michael Scott's) book ? that to be an effective leader requires preparation, research and study," he said. "The best way to get prepared is serving the people now."

Mr. Bean has some strong ideas about the direction Bermuda should go in the future.

Bermuda, he says, has three options ? remain as a colony, go independent or pursue a third path of "self determination and interdependence".

The first two options would "lead to instability" because they would maintain either a colonial or "neo-colonial" state where most of the country's institutions are geared toward a Eurocentric cultural perspective.

Besides, he added, the word independence is "outmoded".

"Bermuda in its isolation cannot be independent... Our economy is determined by the relationship Bermuda has with Great Britain, the United States, Europe and Canada." He said that many Bermudians who already have cultural links with those areas are already "independent and free."

But many more Bermudians lack independence because, "we don't have those links with geographic regions that serve our interests directly".

He said at least three to five years of preparation will be necessary for true Bermuda independence ? which is in fact self determination and interdependence.

"We would have to create those institutions that links us to the Caribbean ? Caricom (membership) being a very bold step in that direction. We have to create institutions that give us direct contact with the African continent and with African American people in North America."

He said professionals in financial services, tourism and international business could benefit from "vast" business opportunities in those areas that could develop "once we are able to tap into our culture".

Mr. Bean said he had opened his presentation to Sandys North branch voters by reminding them of "what we are moving away from."

Bermuda's social problems are the effect of people "moving away from the way we were raised, the way grandma and grandpa raised us ? work hard, look after your family and check for your neighbour," he added.

"We've become selfish. Our material prosperity has made us spiritually dull."