Seemingly deemed too old when he was 67, 70-year-old Erwin Adderley was yesterday rolled out as the United Bermuda Party's adopted candidate for Pembroke West.

But the grandfather resisted the temptation to say "I told you so" as the UBP declared Bermuda needs "experience not an experiment" to claw its way back from its worst economic and social crisis in decades.

Three years ago the former Transport Minister was overlooked by the party in favour of Shawn Crockwell — a man about half his age — to stand in what has traditionally been one of its strongholds, constituency 19.

That decision couldn't have worked out much worse for the UBP as Mr. Crockwell quit the party last year to help form Bermuda Democratic Alliance, for whom he is hoping to keep the seat at the next election.

"In 2007, at that point in time, you could say it was age versus youth," Mr. Adderley told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

"Now the people have to decide whether or not that performance came up to what they were expecting."

Shortly after his non-selection three years ago, Mr. Adderley resigned as a branch executive committee member, refused to run in another constituency and turned down an invitation to help Mr. Crockwell.

Yesterday, he revealed his feelings had mellowed with the passing of time, and said his unhappiness had been with the UBP leadership rather than the party itself.

He said the UBP's candidate selection process has now changed, and that Pembroke West constituents had asked him to return to politics.

Asked about Mr. Crockwell at a press conference at Admiralty House Park, he replied: "I'm a person on your doorstep, trying to find out what you want. That's what Mr. Crockwell is going to have to run against."

Mr. Adderley described the BDA as a new ship, with an inexperienced crew, who are setting off in difficult waters.

Mr. Crockwell yesterday said as things stand he'll be running in Pembroke West, but the BDA has not yet decided where its candidates will be placed.

He pointed to Mr. Adderley's experience as a former Cabinet Minister and civil servant with strong roots in the constituency, but added: "Bermuda politics needs new people, fresh faces."

Recalling his selection ahead of Mr. Adderley three years ago, Mr. Crockwell, now 39, said: "It was very close. It was the younger generation that ultimately tipped the scale for me."

Mr. Adderley, director of Planning for Government for 22 years, was first elected to Parliament in a 1997 Pembroke West by-election, and remained an MP until 2003, when he lost to Neletha Butterfield of the Progressive Labour Party in Pembroke West Central.

Since then he has been concentrating on running his planning consultancy Erwin P. Adderley Associates.

Asked about the selection of a veteran yesterday, UBP Leader Kim Swan pointed to Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan as international leaders who have emerged in times of crisis.

"This Country needs experience, not an experiment," Mr. Swan said.

Mr. Adderley said he wanted to return to politics after hearing complaints that people were unhappy with the PLP but could never vote for the UBP.

He said the former UBP Government had helped make Bermuda one of the wealthiest countries in the world and said: "I want to know what these bad things are so they can be corrected because in my opinion we have lost direction. We need to refocus."

Mr. Adderley said he will reintroduce Saturday morning clinics and will be working with local activists on community projects.