Veteran Progressive Labour Party politician Reginald Burrows was the surprise pick of a batch of four new ruling party Senators announced yesterday.

Premier Alex Scott said that Mr. Burrows would bring to the Senate a "certain experience and maturity from the parliamentary process".

At a signing-in ceremony, lawyer Larry Mussenden, former PLP secretary general Walter Roban and businessman Raymond Tannock were also announced as Senators.

The four new Senators join Legislative Affairs Minister Michael Scott, who was sworn in as a Senator shortly after the General Election so he could immediately assume his ministerial duties. And they replace four familiar faces in the Upper Chamber - Victoria Pearman, Patrice Minors, David Burch and Calvin Smith.

"He (Burrows) will be a calming influence on the more fiery, newer members," said Mr. Scott. "I happily look at Mr. Larry Mussenden... and Mr. Raymond Tannock."

Mr. Roban, a consistently loyal party operative since 1988 will ensure that the party's view is "omnipresent" during debates in the Upper Chamber, he added.

"I think we have presented you with a very formidable team. They are probably going to show us members of parliament the way to go and we are certainly going to, as a larger parliamentary group, be able to represent Bermudians in the way they (deserve)."

Sen. Scott takes over as Government Senate Leader - a position last held by former Sen. David Burch.

"You will find that in the Senate the degree of talent that comes not just from the government, but the independents and the Opposition is second to none," Mr. Scott said.

"I have no doubt that this team will make its fair and proper contribution to that process."

Mr. Burrows had retired from politics just weeks before the July 24 vote and made clear his displeasure with former Premier Jennifer Smith's leadership.

"For a while there I thought I had retired from politics," said Mr. Burrows.

"But I was made to understand that many of my colleagues thought I should go a little longer. And being the party person that I am, I decided that I would lend all the support that I could to the Premier and the members of the Progressive Labour Party to form the kind of government that we feel that Bermuda deserves. I'm very happy with the appointments that he has made in the Senate and I know that we will be very representative of all the persons in the community."

He later told The Royal Gazette that at least three Cabinet members had recommended him for a Senate seat and that his name had been put forward right after the election.