Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) chief organiser George Scott, the man who turned Warwick North Central, or district 27 into a Progressive Labour Party stronghold, is pushing for reform of some of the Island's labour relations laws, opportunity for previously disadvantaged black people and equal rights for divorced men.

“Now we can look at some of the unfavourable laws that are on the books that really do nothing but tie the hands of the worker,” he told The Royal Gazette just days after the most recent national strike had ended.

In an interview last week about his work as a new MP, Mr. Scott said that some laws are unfair to workers and violate their right to withhold their labour.

Citing the CableVision dispute as an example, he said: “The laws are there to put the workers back to work,” but “there's a fundamental right to withdraw labour".

Mr. Scott said many of the laws were reactions from an establishment fighting back against a growing labour movement.

“Keep in mind a lot of these laws were put on the books because people were mobilising to do something,” he said.

He took issue with the term “essential services” saying they were essential only to the shareholders of the companies that provide them.

“If Belco is deemed an essential service, why would they turn your lights off?” he asked.

“Telco is deemed essential. Why should they cut your phone off?” People should at least be allowed to receive phone calls if service is cut off for non-payment of a telephone bill, he said.

“It cannot be essential to the citizen of the country. It's only essential to those who invest in the business.”

Mr. Scott handily won the right to represent Warwick North Central, receiving 479 votes to his opponent Yvette Swan's 345.

The July poll was his fourth attempt at elective office.

“I was off to a busy start with the hurricane, and the night of the election,” when then Premier faced the final challenge to her leadership and he decided to join the ranks of the dissidents, he said.

“I received a call that night and I just took a position,” he said. “It's the nature of politics - you're constantly making decisions.”

Expect Mr. Scott to advocate, harangue and challenge his fellow legislators to open the doors of opportunity for black people.

As a black MP he feels he has a special responsibility toward his community.

“Coming from an ethnic group that has been deprived over many hundreds of years and looking at the opportunities in this country, I think I can help my own take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves,” he said.

“We have access to information, we know what's being projected for the future. It could be goods and services the country needs - the other side did it for themselves, I don't see why we cannot take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. And one of the things is education. Most people are educated to be workers. We now have to start educating them to take advantage of opportunities.”

Asked what to expect of him in terms of performance in the House of Assembly, he said: “I am not going to fight everything... Things that I feel strongly about - you will hear me.”

Mr. Scott said the “plight of men in general” but especially divorced men was another of his chief areas of concern.

“In the past they have not been treated fairly,” he said. Divorce courts often enforce settlements that reduce the man to a bank account with little access to any children the couple may have.

“Men have to pay a greater role in the rearing of their children,” he said. “Hopefully we'll come to a greater understanding that the children are affected and hence it affects the community at large.”

Mr. Scott, himself divorced with four children, is the founder of Advanced Tech Solutions which aims to provide despatching software to the transportation industry.