Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Erwin Adderley was announced this week as the United Bermuda Party's (UBP) General Election candidate for Pembroke West Central.

Mr. Adderley said he had already been canvassing in the area and said that if residents had not seen him yet, they would soon.

And he said he was feeling confident, having already received a positive reception from members of the community.

Mr. Adderley, who has taken particular interest in the building of the new second senior school in the past two years, which is in the constituency, said he was well aware of the issues of the residents.

He said drugs, crime, the cost of housing, and the lack of boating docks throughout Pembroke were major concerns.

"I chose the area for when we went to single seat constituencies because I knew somebody in the party had to move around and I was glad when I was asked to consider running in this area," said Mr. Adderley.

"I jumped at the opportunity because my family comes from this area, and I still have family living here. My grandparents were born and raised here and the family homestead is still in my family, so I have always had ties to the district and it is close to my heart."

Mr. Adderley said Pembroke West Central was one of the most settled areas on the Island, with the same families living there for generations, and he said that was always good for neighbourhoods.

But he said many of the concerns that the residents had were the same as other areas, and he said he would work to help tackle them.

"There are several concerns - most of them being the same concerns that all of Bermuda has, about drugs and crime," said Mr. Adderley. "The high cost of housing is another concern, and more particular to Pembroke, residents are also upset about the lack of water access for boating docks. There is no public access for launching boats.

"There are several proposals - one of them from Government is looking at the Mills Creek area and putting a dock and service area there. It has not been done yet, but I would like to see that adopted and extended."

Chairman of the UBP Wayne Furbert said he believed Mr. Adderley would do well in the area.

He said: "Mr. Adderley brings a wide range of experience to the party, first as a former civil servant, as director of planning, and as a former Cabinet Minister of Transport.

"Mr. Adderley, in all of his areas, has done a tremendous job for the country, and he has recently kept the Government and the people of Bermuda informed about the (alleged) mismanagement of the Berkeley site.

"We welcome him and look forward to the people of Pembroke West Central saying this gentleman is a man of integrity and experience and we can use him in the House once the UBP forms the next Government."