Anti-gang campaigning Pastor Leroy Bean will take his battle for a rehabilitation centre to the House of Assembly if he gets elected in St. George's South.

Pastor Bean — selected as the Progressive Labour Party candidate for Constituency Four on Tuesday night — has featured prominently in the news with his group CARTEL, which educates young people about the pitfalls of the gang lifestyle.

Yesterday, he said if he makes it as an MP he will continue pushing for a dedicated centre offering therapy and counselling for those affected by gang violence, as well as calling for a review of existing legislation.

"That's something I will still push for; it's a part of me. It would go to another level," Pastor Bean told The Royal Gazette.

Pastor Bean is said to have comprehensively defeated former Cabinet Minister Arthur Hodgson in Tuesday's vote, meaning he will fight for the PLP in St. George's South at the next General Election, almost certainly against candidates from both the United Bermuda Party and Bermuda Democratic Alliance.

He was named as the branch's choice to represent the PLP in the 2007 election, but was then overlooked in favour of then-Attorney General Phil Perinchief. On election night, Mr. Perinchief was narrowly beaten by UBP candidate Donte Hunt. In 2007, Pastor Bean founded CARTEL — Challenging And Reclaiming the True Essence of Life — and he has become an increasingly well-known face as gang violence has escalated to an unprecedented level since then.

He recently called for CARTEL to be given Government funding to get serious about gang intervention, and believes a rehabilitation centre could make a big difference.

"I believe at this point it's absolutely a necessity, with the climate Bermuda is currently in," he said.

"There are many buildings around that they could use. The most important thing is the therapeutic approach, giving help as a preventive measure and help for victims."

Asked if Government isn't currently doing enough on rehabilitation, Pastor Bean said: "It's unfair to say that now. I want to get into things and find out what they really do have."

He also repeated a call made by all three potential new Premiers for a team approach taking the Island forward. "We need to come together as one rather than justifying these things that happened in the past. We need to recognise the past but I don't believe in just referring to race or any type of injustice," he said.

In the most high-profile branch election on Tuesday night, Senator Marc Bean is said to have won a very large percentage of the votes in Warwick South Central.

Sen. Bean did not respond to requests for comment on his selection as the PLP's candidate's for the by-election following Premier Ewart Brown's departure from Constituency 26. But he is said to have canvassed long and hard since Dr. Brown confirmed he would be standing down from the area he's served as a local MP since 1993.

One Bean supporter, Calvin (Bummy) Symonds, said of his speech at St. Mary's Church Hall: "I figured that he was speaking right from his heart. He didn't need a piece of paper to read from. He said, 'I'm not promising you anything.'"

Some residents say Sen. Bean is a natural replacement for Dr. Brown. He has held the Junior Tourism portfolio while Dr. Brown has been Tourism Minister and has remained loyal to the Premier while many former allies have cut their ties.

Attorney General Kim Wilson, entrepreneur Nelson Hunt and Bermuda Industrial Union president Chris Furbert all missed out. Sen. Wilson, tipped to succeed long-serving backbencher Walter Lister in Sandys South Central, has said she is prepared to run at any vacancies which crop up.

"Notwithstanding the result, this was another invaluable experience for me and I think I fared well as a first time primary candidate," she said. "I particularly enjoyed the positive interaction with constituents and their feedback on the issues which they face, which are, as I expected, the same as those experienced by constituencies throughout the Island.

"That said, this has confirmed my belief that the primary issues for Bermuda are germane to members of all constituencies and I look forward to reaffirming my commitment to serve."

Former student activist Jhon Gibbons, who was picked over Jamahl Simmons in St. George's West, declined to comment yesterday.