A former senator and chairman of the One Bermuda Alliance who backed the party from its inception has accused the Opposition of being in disarray and unprepared to assume the Government in the next General Election.

Justin Mathias, who spoke out after he said “news leaked of my consideration to run as an independent”, accused Jarion Richardson of not having the skills to lead the party.

He accused the Opposition leader of “blindly” leading the party after being chosen by “the powers that be” despite not wanting the job.

Mr Mathias went on to call Mr Richardson’s call for an election “morally reprehensible” because the OBA did not have a full slate of candidates or enough individuals with “the calibre to form a government”.

He added: “Here we are 13 days after the election announcement and Bermuda’s only other serious political party alternative is once again not a viable option.

“It would rather continue the ‘life support’ agenda of being delayed in responding to the Government, slow to roll out candidates, and giving vague platitudes in the hope that the public’s disdain for the Progressive Labour Party would overshadow its disorganised train wreck of an organisation.”

It is believed that Mr Mathias, who withdrew as a candidate for the OBA, has not formally left the opposition party.

An op-ed by Mr Mathias was published in today’s edition of The Royal Gazette.

In it, he said that the OBA’s Reply to the Throne Speech, where Mr Richardson called for an election, was one of his “final straws”.

Mr Mathias explained that the Premier, David Burt, had a habit of calling elections when dared, as seen during the last General Election in 2020.

He also called out the OBA’s “deafening silence” of not renewing its platform and unveiling 36 candidates.

In the same statement, Mr Mathias decried the party politics of Bermuda, saying that the system deserved to be sent “sent to the benches”.

He said: “I am tired of the wasted time and energy trying to fix an organisation that is fundamentally flawed and is not giving that energy to effect change for Bermudians.

“The characters of individuals they continue to allow to be a part of OBA and PLP are continuing to drag down the collective — us ordinary citizens.

“Simply put, if we had real election laws in this country, I wonder who would still be able to stand as a candidate — on either side.”

He encouraged politicians who cared about “Bermuda and representing her people” to consider becoming an independent candidate and running “on merit”.

Jarion Richardson and the OBA were contacted for a response, but did not respond by press time.

Mr Mathias joined the OBA during its inception in 2011 and worked his way into its upper branches, becoming the party’s deputy chairman and later the chairman of its youth wing, the Future Bermuda Alliance, in August 2017.

In November that same year he became one of the youngest members of Senate at just 25 years old.

Hoping to use his age as an advantage, Mr Mathias said he hoped to “break the mould” of island politics and add a “youth-driven perspective”.

He campaigned in the Warwick North East by-election in June 2018 against Curtis Dickinson, of the PLP, losing by 375 votes to 300.

The constituency was later picked up by Ianthia Simmons-Wade during the 2020 General Election after Mr Dickinson moved to Pembroke South East.

Mr Mathias saw success in July 2018 after he was promoted to party chairman, only for him to quit in September that same year.

His resignation came with a call for Leah Scott, then acting party leader, to step down, accusing her of holding a “personal vendetta” against himself and Jeanne Atherden and tainting the party leader selection process.

Mr Mathias left his Senate position the following month. His criticism of the party grew the next year after he took a break from party involvement.

Mr Mathias claimed in October 2019 that residents of the party’s constituencies did not feel they were being fully represented by the OBA Shadow Cabinet.

He said: “What I have heard from my constituents and members of the community is that they want to see an Opposition that is more vocal and present within the community.”