Senator David Burt was this afternoon rolled out as the ruling party's election candidate for district 18 or Pembroke West Central.If successful in his bid to represent the district, Sen Burt will replace Neletha Butterfield in the House of Assembly.At an Alaska Hall press conference, Premier Paula Cox said that Ms Butterfield, who was absent, remained a valued member of the party.The Premier described Sen Burt as somone who “has demonstrated he is not afraid of hard work” and “one who is young, gifted and qualified”.Sen Burt promised to “be a true representative, not just for the ideals of the Progressive Labour Party but for the betterment of Bermuda”.He said he had learned from canvassing that the best ideas often came from the constituents. “We must be present to listen to the concerns of our constituents. As the MP for this area I will make time to canvass, I'll make time for meetings, time for your phone calls and I'll respond to your emails. Because that is the service and respect that you deserve.“In the PLP we do not believe there is anything as a safe seat.”He said: “No matter where you stand politically, I vow to represent your interests and be a constant presence in the constituency.”It took three rounds of voting for Senator Burt to win the branch nomination, in the contest against the incumbent Ms Butterfield.A statement from Mr Burt said:Good Afternoon, Madam Premier, Chairman Dill, Secretary General Smith, Voters of Pembroke West Central, Members of the Party, my Family, my fiancée and my Friends, Thank you for coming today.It is an honour to be here this afternoon, to be announced as the PLP Candidate for Pembroke West Central Constituency # 18.I would like to first of all thank the Members of Pembroke West Central for putting their faith in me. I will work hard to repay your faith and will be a true representative, not just for the ideals of the PLP, but for the betterment of Bermuda.I have lived in Pembroke all of my life, and care deeply about our community. I look forward to meeting more of the residents in Pembroke West Central as we continue to canvass the hills of Constituency 18 to listen, learn, and to do our best to assist. In my brief time in public service I have learned that the best ideas often come from the people we serve, and we must be present to listen to the concerns of our constituents. As the MP for this area, I will make time to canvass, time for meetings, time for your phone calls and I will respond to your emails, because that is the service and respect that you deserve.In the PLP we do not believe there is such a thing as a safe seat, and our team will work to earn the trust of each voter and hopefully their support. We may not always agree, but no matter where you stand politically, I will represent your interests and be a constant presence in the constituency.As Bermudians, we all want the same thing: a Bermuda where our children have the opportunity to grow and progress to fulfil their potential; a Bermuda where our cousins on the west side of the island do not fear going east and get to experience all of what our country offers; a Bermuda where we can raise our children in peace and harmony; a unified community which approaches issues and treats all of our people fairly to ensure all of our people can get ahead.This is the Bermuda the voters of Pembroke West Central want, this is Bermuda I want, this is Bermuda we all want, and this is the Bermuda that we will work hard to ensure that we have.This election will represent a choice for the voters of this constituency and this country, a choice not only between parties, but also a choice between two competing visions of the future of our island home. Voters will choose between:  A party that has led Bermuda through 13 years of progress for all of our people, or a party short on experience, and long on recycled ideas from a past era. A party that draws on 49 years of experience in fighting for the people of this country and bringing progress to all of our citizens, or a repackaged party unsure of its direction and its purposeThe choice facing our voters is clear, and when the report card of 13 years is reviewed, We are confident that the people of this country will again chose the Progressive Labour Party, a grassroots party made up of over 2000 humble, hard working men and women, to form the next government.They will choose the PLP, because we are the only party with a leader experienced in local business, international business, and who understands the global economy of which Bermuda is a part. A leader who is determined to make sure that Bermudians are always kept in the picture and play their rightful role in the development of our Island home.They will choose the PLP because this is the only party that has the interest people at heart. The Progressive Labour Party is deeply invested in making sure that ALL of Bermuda succeeds, whether it be Front Street, or right outside on Angle Street.The people of Bermuda know that we are living through hard times. This is a period of great challenge for Bermuda as the great recession continues to cause havoc both here and abroad. As a relatively young man, I view the challenges of our country through the lens of my generation. As a country and as a people, we need to continue to empower ourselves to take advantage of the opportunities of tomorrow, that is what this Party has always stood for and that is what we must continue to do.My job as a member of this great team will be to speak up for my generation and examine issues with a progressive view towards a great future for Bermuda. I am proud that the PLP, throughout their history, has taken the progressive stance and have been the engineers of many of the rights that our people currently enjoy. We are all pleased that the Party has made it clear in the last Throne Speech that we will not shy away from taking bold steps to move our country into the future.I am proud to be a member of the Progressive Labour Party team, proud to be here today to follow in the footsteps of giants in our country’s history, and proud to be given the chance to continue the work of bringing progress to a nation, and hope to our people.I will work hard to earn the support of the voters in Pembroke West Central and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving Bermuda.Thank you.