Grant K. Sousa has been appointed deputy leader of the All Bermuda Congress.

The party — which is dedicated to putting more power in the hands of the people — says Mr. Sousa will run for Parliament in the next General Election in a seat to be confirmed.

Mr. Sousa, 44, from Warwick, who works for the Bank of Butterfield as a business implementation officer, says he has joined the party because it offers a new way forward.

"I am sickened by recent events, and I don't see the seeds of change in either the PLP or the UBP," he said.

"When I read ABC's platform, I knew that ABC was on the right track. As ABC's ten pledges propose, Bermuda needs more than a change of some faces in Parliament and in the Cabinet. It needs changes to Bermuda's laws, including its Constitution.

"For example, changes that minimise the risks of a runaway dictatorship which current scandals make so painfully evident."

He said moves to empower voters and give them more right to force referendums was another key part of the party's plan.

Regarding the next election, Mr. Sousa said ABC would have a major role to play.

He said: "Frankly, with all that's happened, I don't believe the PLP can hold onto its 22 seats or even the 19 needed to retain control, and I can't see the UBP rising from 14 to 19. But I firmly believe that ABC's dozen or so candidates will win sufficient seats to provide a block of swing votes that will be needed to form a majority in Parliament.

"This will be extremely healthy for Bermuda, as ABC will align itself only with those MPs, from either party, who will agree to help adopt its ten pledges."

ABC organiser Khalid Wasi has already said he will be contesting either UBP MP David Dodwell's Southampton seat or Government MP Ashfield DeVent's Pembroke seat.

Items among the ten pledges include vows to tackle crises in housing and education and prohibiting Government from owning or controlling any of the media.