He has the gift of the gab and is fiercely protective of his party. Glenn Blakeney, a former public relations officer for the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), has his sights set on speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves once the House of Assembly reopens October 31.

"My political philosophy is that any and every political organisation should be judged and driven by the success of addressing concerns of the unrepresented or those that would be considered among the lower echelons of society and it should first start with celebrating ourselves through appreciation and understanding of our culture and diversity as individuals and then through informing the community through sharing ideas and accessing opportunities that will bode well not just for the here and now but for the future."

As with many of the Island's first slate of single seat parliamentarians, Mr. Blakeney puts affordable housing at the top of his list of concerns that he will try to address in the House of Assembly.

All kinds of social ills flow from the lack of affordable housing, he said.

"You need to have a place of refuge where you can find peace with yourself, where you can retreat to that is wholesome. If there is no peace in the home there's all kinds of negative fallout that goes to the heart of challenges that society is faced with all around the world - most wars are fought over, if not land, what the land holds.

"So if you don't have something that is considered your home you look for ways to realise that and sometimes there is a desperate inclination to get what one feels they deserve or need and if its not available through the normal channels, folks will sometimes get it by any means necessary."

Without affordable housing, he continued, the human spirit is deflated and stress levels rise.

"You're out and about and you're smiling but you're crying inside and nobody knows... It starts to remould your character and your demeanour."Bermuda needs a "short, medium and long term vision," and a "collective consensus" on how to provide adequate housing for low to medium income earners.

His legislative priorities would include "legislation that would directly impact the majority of people who voted for the Progressive Labour Party who have had major concerns where their particular needs wants and desires, having not - in their view - been adequately addressed - such as housing, hard drugs, crime and seniors."

The former broadcaster became a first-time MP after the July 24 election despite entering the contest to represent Devonshire North Central with just two weeks' campaign time and despite a determined effort by retired nurse Hilary Soares.

That victory, he insisted, would not have been possible without the party workers and his family's support.

Mr. Blakeney is no stranger to the community - besides his broadcasting experience he has had a long association with Devonshire Colts soccer team.

And his passion as an advocate for society's most vulnerable probably has a lot to do with the fact that his 13 year old son has cerebral palsy.

The 48-year-old father of five won the vote to represent Devonshire North Central, which is in fact part of the former United Bermuda Party stronghold Devonshire South, despite winning getting the formal nod from the party just two weeks before the poll and being conspicuously absent from the Island for much of the campaign.

He was away with his wife and son, Ziek, who was getting some intense therapy. "I don't consider myself religious, but I am a spiritual person. First comes my maker, then my family and then politics," he said.

"And having children humbles one. With all the curveballs that life can throw at you at any given time, you never know what you might be faced with so you try to align yourself with doing the right things for the right reasons."