Terry Lister was appointed to the Senate in 1993, serving stints as Shadow Minister for Finance, Tourism and Marine Service, Technology and Information, Works and Engineering and Parks and Housing.

He was elected to the House of Assembly in 1998 as the Progressive Labour Party won Government, and immediately became the PLP's first Minister of Development, Opportunity and Government Services.

From 2001 to 2004, he was Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety, moving to Education from 2004 to 2006 and Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce from 2007 to 2009.

He left Cabinet in the summer of 2009, after publicly calling for Premier Ewart Brown to resign in the wake of the Uighurs affair and cruise ship gaming bill controversy.

Accomplishments listed on Mr. Lister's campaign brochure include:

• legislated CURE reporting to enhance racial equality in the workplace;

• introduced community leave for fathers employed by Government;

• passing legislation to toughen consumer standards;

• extending Community Education programme to Southside and CedarBridge Academy;

• developing Wedco as a cultural arts centre;

• PACE legislation to provide better evidence collection by Police;

• Employment Act to provide all workers with employment protection;

• combined three East End Fire Services;

• increased computer-based learning at school;

• ensured Bermuda College financial reporting was made current after years of non-reporting;

• introduced tax credits to stimulate renewable energy use;

• memorandum of understanding between the National Training Board and Nova Scotia for apprentice exchanges;

• established scholarship programme so 40 Bermudians get $15,000 each.

Outside politics, Mr. Lister became Bermuda's fifth black chartered accountant in 1979, setting up his own practice two years later.

He then became a manager for accounting firm Deloitte and Touche, remaining a partner until 1998, and being designated a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda in 2005.

He's also a real estate agent, with Seymour Real Estate.