A Progressive Labour Party candidate highlighted how advantage can be taken of the island’s rare circumstances to make bold choices that result in change for everyday Bermudians.

Mischa Fubler, who was announced today as a contender for Southampton East Central at the next General Election, added that technology and data should be used to help the jurisdiction thrive.

The constituency is held by backbencher Jason Wade, who won the seat for the PLP in 2020 with 486 votes compared with the 400 secured by Leah Scott, who stood for the One Bermuda Alliance.

Mr Fubler said today: “Our small size may limit our economies of scale but it also facilitates being nimble and iterating through potential solutions to arrive at the right fit for us.

“Our tiny island nation also benefits from the rather unique privilege of having the population of a relatively small town that’s supported by budgets that rival countries many times our size.

“We have the potential to implement policy and legislative changes whose effects can be measured within the same legislative term.

“Most other jurisdictions have to wait five, ten or even 20 years to determine the impacts of their choices. That’s not the case for us.

“This benefit should not be overlooked and we must be bold in our choices, as the PLP Government has been, to drive strategic change that moves the needle for everyday working Bermudians.

“We must leverage technology and the data it can provide to make changes that not only set us on the path to prosperity today but also ensure that we remain on track for our future."

He highlighted the Government’s efforts towards universal healthcare, inflation-related increases to pensions and expansion of childcare benefits to support working parents.

Mr Fubler represented the PLP in the Smith’s South by-election last October, after the retirement of former OBA leader Cole Simons.

He lost out to Ben Smith in the OBA stronghold, gaining 167 votes to Mr Smith’s 457.

At the PLP headquarters today, Mr Fubler described that contest as “a valuable learning experience” that he hoped demonstrated he was “no stranger to hard work”.

He said: “When it comes to advocating for the people of Bermuda, I don’t back down, even when faced with unfavourable odds.

“The values I shared on September 1 last year have not changed.

“I still believe in economic and social justice, and that through our collective power and collaboration, we can develop our strengths and explore new opportunities for sustainable growth.

“I still value green spaces and protecting the natural beauty our tiny rock in the middle of the ocean has been blessed with.

“Maintaining the tenuous balance of our rich ecosystem requires our stewardship and a cultural shift in how some of us view our natural resources as boundless. They are not.

“I still value renewable energy and believe its expansion can be a driver for our increased energy resiliency, as well as a lever for reducing our economically stifling cost of living.”

Mr Fubler said his vision for the future of Southampton East Central — where Dwayne Robinson, an Opposition senator, is the OBA candidate — included advocating for social and economic justice for all Bermudians; co-operative and non-profit provision of essential services and affordable or subsidised housing, and community-building, as well as “data-driven, strategic and pragmatic decision-making”.

He added to the list “more policies to incentivise increases in our birth rate and repatriation, increased utilisation of our arable land for greater food security”, further red-tape reductions for entrepreneurs and capital projects that improve road safety.

Mr Fubler said he was “representation of the PLP having a large tent”.

He added: “I’m not isolated in my political and socio-economic world view.

“There are many members among the membership who feel similarly to myself and I think the party putting me forward as the candidate kind of demonstrates that desire to shift the policy further to the left.”

Introducing Mr Fubler earlier, David Burt, the PLP leader, said the candidate’s background was “one of critical thinking and expertise across a broad spectrum of ideas”.

Mr Burt added: “He has selflessly applied his talents to bettering our party and our community.”

He said: “Mischa is no stranger to hard work and he is no stranger to service, volunteering with numerous community organisations such as Social Justice Bermuda, dedicated to helping Bermudians in need or marginalised.

“He doesn’t just make off, he makes moves.

“He represents the next generation of leaders in our party who are stepping forward from out of our community with a vision for a better and fairer Bermuda.”

Mr Wade said that he had spent several years giving to his community and the island in general and it was time to "take a step back”.

He added: “I have some projects that I’m working on at the moment …

“When I came in, in 2020, I told the Premier that I would give one term to C30 and we will see where we go from there.”

The announcement today was the third time the PLP rolled out a candidate in just over two weeks.

Owen Darrell, a senator and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, was announced last month as the candidate for Pembroke East, a seat to be vacated upon the impending retirement of Walter Roban, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs.

The Reverend Emily Gail Dill, also a senator and the Junior Minister of National Security, is the PLP’s candidate for the October 4 by-election in Sandys North.

Voters of Constituency 36 will go to the polls after the resignation of government MP Kathy-Lynn Simmons last month.

Dr Dill will be up against Carl Neblett of the One Bermuda Alliance, Marc Bean, the founder of the Free Democratic Movement, and independent candidate Cire Bean.

It was put to the Premier by the Bermuda Broadcasting Company today that he could potentially dissolve Parliament and forego the Sandys North by-election, and he was asked to guarantee that the vote in Constituency 36 would go ahead.

Mr Burt repeated a statement he made earlier: “There will be a General Election [in Bermuda] before February 2026.”

• UPDATE: this article has been updated with more information and comments