Political newcomer John Gibbons received a standing ovation last night with a passionate speech that spoke to the issue of gun violence and prevalent social ills plaguing Bermuda.The Progressive Labour Party candidate was one of four new would-be politicians introduced as the “new rising stars” in the PLP.An estimated 200 party supporters turned out for the opening of the PLP’s Delegates Conference at the Dalton E Tucker Primary School in Southampton, where there was standing room only.Other speakers included PLP Senator Diallo Robain, Lawrence Scott and Makai Dickerson.One day after another murder, Mr Gibbons spoke of the “infection and disorder” within Bermuda’s black community that threatens to take the entire country down.“My heart is heavy and everybody’s heart in Bermuda should be heavy because we could speak about how we’re going to get more international business here and revitalising tourism here,” said Mr Gibbons.“We could speak about all these great policy plans that we want to implement but none of this will succeed if we don’t realise that there is a segment of this community that is on the verge of becoming untenable and unworkable. And it will not destroy the black community, it will destroy Bermuda.“It will destroy white Bermuda, black Bermuda, Asian Bermuda, whatever Bermuda you want to call it, it’s all Bermuda. It will destroy us all. It is the gravest threat to the economic rejuvenation of this country.“We can argue over the debt, we can argue over the policy plans, we can argue over everything,” he said, but it and the pride of Bermuda’s people, whether they were black or white would be of little consequence if young people did not see that such violent acts put the country itself in peril.“This country cannot work without Bermudians and that is fundamental way that the PLP has shown they are for Bermudians with a vision for the future.“The only reason I got into politics is because I feel it's a grave danger for us to not realise that we cannot afford to have politicians who can see very clearly the past, have very little vision of the present and absolutely no vision for the future,” said Mr Gibbons.He also spoke of the growing number of potential voters he has encountered who insist that they do not intend to vote in the next general election.“It's a cynicism that has no right, nor place or tradition in this country. Most of it is coming from the older generations black and white, but I’m here today to say it’s not going to be tolerated.He received a standing ovation when he told the audience: “We have to be more than a political party, it’s not about just being a political party. We have to be a spiritual rejuvenating organisation, intellectually and spiritually for this country.“That is what the young voters of this country are screaming for, a storm of glowing passion from its leaders.” Mr Gibbons is vying for the seat currently held by Kim Swan who was elected under the banner of the United Bermuda Party in St George’s West.Senator Robain, the PLP candidate running in Hamilton South noted that there is a lot of “hype, misinformation and opinions whether they be right or wrong and political rhetoric out there as we approach the next general election”.“However, I am very tired, I am growing disgusted of the Opposition’s constant attempt to discredit this party. I am growing tired of their disparaging remarks about our party and our country.“I am also extremely offended by the deeply personal and hateful attacks on our esteemed leader, the Premier.“They have the audacity to talk badly about our battle -tested and proven team when they boast nothing but a line up of tired retreads from a former party known as the United Bermuda Party.“And they have marched out all of these unproven candidates who not only lack political experience but more importantly, they lack a meaningful community servers experience,” he said.He also took aim at the polls published on a regular basis in this newspaper.“The Opposition would like you think that this election is theirs to lose as if, as based on these skewed polls we get from their six-day-a-week publicity partner The Royal Gazette.“Truth be told, whenever there’s an election that is the most important election of that time. We’ve heard that the polls had them ahead in 2007, we heard it in 2003 and we heard it in 1998; but we all know what the outcomes of those elections were — don’t we?“This is a chance for you, for me, for the electorate to have their voice heard,” said Sen Robain.The first speaker to address the audience was Makai Dickerson who rallied the crowd with a rousing speech. One of the party’s youngest candidates, he will be running against One Bermuda Alliance leader Craig Cannonier in Devonshire North West.He noted that while the Opposition focuses on the negative, “the truth is many of our children are succeeding” in the public school system.“No one can tell me that the majority of our children are failing when I see more of them climbing every single day.”The last to speak was Lawrence Scott, son of former Premier Alex Scott, who will run for his father’s seat in Warwick South East.“Here we are in 2012 and the winds of change are howling. It’s no secret that the people want to see a change, they want see the economy pick back up, they want to see a definitive end to this global economic recession.“They just want to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I strongly believe, that they are not talking about a change in Government, they are talking about a change in the way we do business as a party and as a Government,” he said.Premier Cox said at the end of the meeting the “new rising stars did not disappoint”.The conference continues tonight with another slate of speakers at the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium.