With election rumours reaching fever pitch, the Progressive Labour Party rolled out two of their Southampton candidates today.

As first predicted by The Royal Gazette, construction boss Zane DeSilva, 47, will fight highly marginal Southampton East Central instead of branch choice Raymond Tannock, who lost in the 2003 general election by just 20 votes to the United Bermuda Party’s David Dodwell.

And Government consultant Marc Bean, 33, who had originally been picked by the Southampton West PLP branch to run instead of incumbent Randy Horton has moved next door to Southampton West Central — held in 2003 by the UBP’s Jon Brunson by 129 votes.

In an apparent reference to the selection of Mr. DeSilva, who is white, Premier Ewart Brown said: “It has been said that the Progressive Labour Party has never been and would never be a diverse party.

“Today is only the first demonstration that that will never again be true.”

He said the Opposition were obsessed with the idea of an August 16 election. “Whichever date we choose will be a date for a PLP victory,” he said.

“We are preparing ourselves for victory, we are doing it on our schedule in our style and we will produce a slate of candidates which will make the Opposition regret the day it ever urged us to bring it on.”

Mr. DeSilva and Mr. Bean are only the second and third candidates to be announced by the PLP. Last week Warwick West branch choice Ianthia Wade was shunted aside to make way for George Scott, a sitting MP who won Warwick North Central last time but who now finds himself fighting a UBP-held seat.

The Royal Gazette>understands Mrs. Wade, wife of former PLP legend Freddie Wade, was offered a seat in the Upper Chamber. She said: “I was offered a Senate seat but I declined.”

Meanwhile Mr. Tannock, who turned up yesterday to endorse the selection of Mr. DeSilva, said he had not be offered anything after losing out on the chance to run.

ZANE DESILVA

Zane DeSilva, who is boss of Island Construction, hit the headlines when he was named by the Mid-Ocean Newspaper as another prominent person investigated as part of the Police probe into corruption at BHC.

At yesterday’s press conference he would not comment on the allegations but said they were actually helping him in his doorstep campaigning which has been going on for more than six weeks. Representing a party which came just 20 votes behind the winner last time, Mr. DeSilva, who was born and raised in the seat, said he was confident of winning because people know him. “They know what I am about, where I am from,” he said.

He joined the PLP about seven or eight years ago. “I was a supporter a lot longer than that,” he said. “I have always believed the Progressive Labour Party represents my personal philosophy. It has always stressed the importance of family, hard work and social justice for all.”

Asked whether he had the full support of the branch, he said: “I think we all understand we are about change and about improvement. The process we used to select our candidates, I think everyone now has grasped the idea, and it has certainly, in my constituency, it has 100 percent support and I think from Mr. Tannock as well.”

At yesterday’s press conference much was made of the diversity of Mr. DeSilva’s supporters. He said: “I wouldn’t say it’s a big show of white faces. It is my family and supporters. I have just as many black friends, family and supporters as well.”

The married father-of-two, who was raised in Scenic Heights but now lives in Devonshire said the main issues in the seat were roads and lighting.

But nationally, he said it was about education, affordable housing, crime and drugs.

“I think education is the big issue. If we can get on top of education then a lot of other issues would be taken care of.”

And Mr. DeSilva said he had been active in the Bermuda Track and Field Association, had formed the West End Running Club and has been associated with numerous workmen’s club as well as the Bermuda Snooker Association. He’s also a golfing buddy of the Premier. Asked if he had ministerial ambitions, he said: “I will serve wherever.”

MARC BEAN

If he was disappointed to be moved to spare Randy Horton’s blushes, then Government consultant and community activist Marc Bean was certainly taking the high road. He said: “When it comes to serving the public it is not about what a person wants but about what the people actually need.

“Thirty one is what’s required, I am part of the team so I put my best foot forward. Both constituencies are part of my community so the artificial boundaries are not going to cause a separation between me and the people or me and the incumbent.”

Appointed to the Bermuda Independence Commission by Alex Scott, Mr. Bean said travel to the Caribbean had opened his eyes to looking at politics from a different angle. He said Dr. Brown was now a mentor. “I bring a new perspective and energy to the voters of constituency 31 as a person who has a special connect with the young.”

Now he has a dual role in Government — recruitment and enrolment manager for the Mirrors programme and as an advisor on CARICOM affairs to Cabinet — while he remains president of Somerset Bridge Recreation Club. Mr. Bean said his canvassing efforts “will kick off in a large level in the coming days”.

He added: “Yes it will be a challenge. Mr Brunson won by a healthy margin last time.”

Crime and housing are big issues in Southampton West Central and elsewhere. “I don’t look at politics in a piecemeal fashion so my intention is to deal with any and every issue as it arises and apply my mind to finding the solution, regardless of where the idea comes from.”

PLP shifts into election gear