They share the same surname, but the political similarities are harder to spot.

Gavin (Sundjata) Smith accepts he faces stiff odds in his bid to topple Premier Jennifer Smith from her St. George's North throne. But he says at least one precedent is on the side of his Gombey Liberation Party.

“David could do it against Goliath, and there is definitely a chance.''

The 24-year-old artist, who will also run against the United Bermuda Party's Kenneth Bascome, has entered the election ring to give Bermudians a voice - and an alternative.

“There are a lot of people out there who do not feel like they are being heard or that they have a choice,” he said.

Although he remained tight-lipped about his platform, which will be presented tomorrow evening at a youth forum organised by him, Mr. Smith, the sole candidate of his party, said his ambition was to give the youth in St. George's more to do and also to realise the town's potential as an international cultural attraction. Asked why he felt the need to enter the political fray, he asked: “What is different about the two parties? I guess what turns me off is their detachment from the community they serve. There is an air of ‘we're it'. I feel sorry for politicians who have to make the choice to leave one party and only have one other option. This is about giving people options and to show people that they have alternatives, as well as to create awareness across the nation. It's constituency number one and I believe in one love, one people, one voice.”

Mr. Smith, a graphic designer, added: “It's largely because of how history has been recently. People don't feel like there are many politicians who are looking out for them and on top of that they don't really feel like much has changed despite some of the differences that have happened these past four years. the campaign focus is about self-determination and developing that in our people.”

On his ideas for re-injecting St. George's with cultural vibrancy, he said: “There is really not much in the way of bringing people to the area on a regular basis. There needs to be something to re-invigorate the place.”

Ideas include the conversion of the Somer's Pride of India Lodge, which used to house the Somer's Playhouse movie theatre, into a cultural centre which is “more representative and not just of our colonial past”, and also the use of the long-closed Club Med hotel property for something similar.