13 February 2014

Dear Sir,

Twenty-five years ago this month, I first won a seat in Parliament and the opportunity to serve the people of Sandys North.

I was a proud member of the Class of ’89, a team of first time PLP MPs that included David Allen, Nelson Bascome, Julian Hall and Dame Jennifer Smith. Together we had won our seats and together we would sit on the opposition benches as we continued to fight for the downtrodden, the less fortunate and the forgotten.

The 1989 election was a key event in the rebuilding of the PLP after having suffered its worst election defeat in 1985 as a result of our own internal split which left the party with only seven seats of the 18 we had won just a few years earlier.

1989 saw the fortunes reversed and the PLP fell only three seats shy of winning the government. The Class of ’89 was one of the first bricks in the foundation that would lead to a PLP victory nine years later.

I was honoured to serve alongside some of the true giants of this great Party of the People. There were the two senior statesman from the 1963 election, Mr Walter Roberts and Mrs Lois Brown-Evans; from the 1968 election were Mr Freddie Wade, Mr Stanley Morton, Mr Stanley Lowe, Mr Reginald Burrows; from the 1972 election Mr Ottiwell Simmons and from the 1976 election Mr Walter Lister.

Two former members returned at the 1989 election, Mr Eugene Cox and Mr Eugene Blakeney also made up this sterling team of leaders. Each of these Bermudian giants inspired, educated and led us on the path of becoming effective and strong voices for the people. We, as well as the country, owe them a tremendous debt for their years of service and sacrifice.

Today, many of the Class of ’89 are no longer with us. David Allen, Julian Hall and Nelson Bascome were all taken away from us far too soon and far too young. I am honoured to be counted among them as the Class of ‘89 and will never forget all that they did to move Bermuda out of the dark times of injustice and inequity and into the sunshine of a new Bermuda.

With Dame Jennifer Smith no longer serving in the House of Assembly, I am currently the longest serving member for this current Parliament — the Senior Statesman. It is a role that I could never have dreamed of filling and certainly never aspired to fill.

All I have wanted is to serve the community in which I was born, grew up live and love. All I have ever wanted is to be a voice for those who, through no fault of their own, have no voice.

While the Class of ’89 may have faded away, the legacy they have left behind is a proud one and one that I am honoured to have been a part of. Today I find myself fighting the good fight alongside new younger faces and a few new but not so young faces.

The class of 2012 will have their own challenges to face and their own battles to be fought and I feel blessed to be able to share my experience with them.

While the faces around me may change, the one thing that hasn’t changed is my love of and commitment to the people of Somerset. To you I say, thank you! I am humbled to serve you and grateful for the love and support you have shared with me.

DENNIS LISTER