Brothers Ci’re and Christopher Bean were officially unveiled as independent candidates for neighbouring Sandys constituencies at a joint press conference this afternoon.

Christopher Bean will be standing in Sandys North Central (Constituency 35), which is held at present by the PLP’s Dennis Lister, the Speaker of the House.

His elder brother, Ci’re, will once again be contesting Sandys North (Constituency 36), which he fought in a by-election last October.

The Reverend Emily Gail Dill won the seat for the PLP in that poll with 162 votes. Mr Bean came in third place with 95 votes in a four-horse race.

Today, both men dismissed suggestions that all opposition candidates should unite to remove the PLP from office.

In a statement last night, the community organisation the Emperial Group said that with as many as four candidates contesting each seat, the PLP would be re-elected if the two opposition parties and independents worked in isolation.

Responding to that suggestion, Christopher Bean said that a situation where opposition parties worked together could arise — but only once the result of the General Election was in.

He said: “We’re more worried about campaigning and getting to know our constituents and hearing their concerns. If that does happen, that will be something to investigate further in the future. But as of now that’s not our current objective.”

His brother agreed, adding that they shared a respect for all politicians regardless of their political affiliation.

He said: “We’re in Bermuda. It’s not a vast place. I bump into politicians all the time, on the street, at MarketPlace, KFC, anywhere around, so we’re always talking and that’s the thing — you shouldn’t be ‘that is my enemy’.

“The opposition is not those we are running against, the opposition is the problems that Bermuda is facing right now. So it’s friendly, it’s hugs, and we talk. We talk about different things that we would love to see for our country.

“We’re so busy tearing each other down but you have to recognise that if somebody is stepping forward into the limelight to put on for their country or do good for their country, it takes a lot of courage. It takes a lot of guts to get out there and be vulnerable. We must acknowledge that and welcome them all.

“When it comes to unity and collaboration, I feel that must take place no matter who you represent, where you’re from, because we are all one, we are all in the same ship together.

“So if a call is being forwarded to me from an individual from the FDM, OBA, PLP, other independents, I’m taking that call. We must have open dialogue because — and that’s the beauty about being an independent — you can source out the best viable option.

“You must be able to reach out to everybody and have that conversation, have the ability to work together because, going past the post, after February 18, no matter what takes place, we must all work together.

“It’s not a time for bashing individuals and bringing anybody down. No disrespect to any of the other political parties or independent members who are running — we should be uplifting each other as a country, as a people.”

The brothers said that they were born and raised in Sandys, knew the community and were learning more about constituency concerns.

They added that when out canvassing, they had been inspired by two ends of the demographic spectrum — seniors for their wisdom and experience, and the youth, who they felt were becoming more politically engaged.

Ci’re Bean said: “We are young enough to understand that we do not know it all but old enough to understand that we know better. It’s imperative that we stop feeling sorry, not being sorry but being better.”

Asked if they had shared views on political policies and priorities, Ci’re confessed that that was not always the case.

He said: “As a family we would sit at the dinner table and just last night … it took a lot of time but we have that open dialogue. We disagree, and then we are mature enough to understand that, ‘all right, if we disagree, let’s get the facts, where’s the common ground, and let’s move forward’.

“So we may disagree but it doesn’t matter, it’s what’s best for the people.”

Ci’re Bean is confident he can improve on his performance in last October’s by-election. “But it’s bittersweet because my confidence is coming about with the more conversations that I have,” he added.

“Because the more conversations that you have, the more you realise that the people are disheartened, discouraged, they have a lack of hope.“