Congratulatory remarks to Marc Bean as the new Opposition Leader have been made by Bermuda Chamber of Commerce president Ronnie Viera.With last week’s change of Government Mr Viera said Bermuda’s business stakeholders have set their sights on a “new era in politics”.Said Mr Viera: “It is our hope that as we enter the New Year, a new era of politics in Bermuda will develop where both political parties work together for the benefit of Bermuda.“The challenge has never been so great but if collectively we put aside our differences, political or otherwise, we stand a much better chance of getting through the current downturn successfully.”Mr Bean, 38, won the leadership contest with 111 votes against Terry Lister who garnered 35 votes at a special delegates conference held on December 21.The new PLP leader pledged the party will do its part to take race out of political discourse shortly after his victory at the Devonshire Recreation Club.“The focus should be on the higher and finer things that connect us as a people,” said Mr Bean.“We need to change the consciousness of the PLP to become more competitive both economically and culturally and that’s going to require serious cooperation among us as a people.“It’s better to compete and cooperate than complain. So that’s going to be our focus, going forward,” he added.The Chamber issued another statement last week to congratulate the One Bermuda Alliance and newly appointed Premier Craig Cannonier.In that statement Mr Viera called for the formation of a statutory Economics Advisory Board to collaborate with Government to address the many “tough challenges which lie ahead”.That board said Mr Viera “would advise the Minister of Finance on tactical and strategic economic planning” by industry experts.