Banker Curtis Dickinson will represent the Progressive Labour Party in Warwick North East in the June 7 by-election.

Mr Dickinson, an executive vice-president at Butterfield Bank and chairman of the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Board of Education, will challenge for the seat vacated by Jeff Baron.

He told a press conference at Alaska Hall it was an “honour” to be selected to represent the PLP. The father of three, 52, said: “I am now at a point where I am prepared to step forward to work as part of this Government to deliver sensible, fiscally sound and effective public policy.”

Mr Dickinson said he looked forward to joining the “imminently capable” PLP team to deliver on the Government’s mandate.

He said he hoped to build on the “significant inroads” in the constituency by Kathy Lynn Simmons, the Attorney-General, who was the PLP candidate in Warwick North East in last year’s General Election.

Warwick North East has been an OBA seat since constituency boundaries were changed in 2012. That year, Mark Pettingill defeated Dale Butler by 527 votes to 386, a lead of 141 votes. In 2017, Mr Baron defeated Ms Simmons by 493 votes to 428, a lead of 65.

Mr Dickinson has worked at the Bank of Butterfield for the last 11 years and currently serves as executive vice-president and group head of private banking.

He is also a former vice-chair of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation and former treasurer for the Centre for Philanthropy. David Burt, the Premier, said that Mr Dickinson was a candidate of the “highest quality” who was “committed to his community”.

Mr Burt said: “Curtis was among the PLP members responsible for forming the economic policies that were articulated in our Budget replies, our election platform, and that have served us well during our first nine months in Government.”

On his canvassing plans, Mr Dickinson said: “I’m going to tell the story of kid of who grew up not far from here, who was encouraged to go to school and to work hard.”

Mr Dickinson said he would share his experience with moving overseas and working in New York, of the support he had received in pursuing his education, whose mother had him when she was just 17 years old, and who had managed to work in international finance “at the highest levels”.

He added: “I think that is a very good narrative, and I think it speaks to my willingness to work hard to get things done.”

Asked how he planned to claim the seat for the PLP, Mr Dickinson said: “Hard work.”

Mr Baron announced his retirement last Wednesday to spend more time with his family.

Two days later, Grant Gibbons, who was the Paget East MP since 1994, said he would step down to make way for fresh blood.

A by-election to replace Dr Gibbons will also take place on June 7. John Rankin, the Governor, issued a writ of election for the by-elections to take place.

Nomination Day for both constituencies will be on May 24. The polling stations will be Bermuda College Student Centre for Paget East, and Bright Temple AME Church Hall for Warwick North East.

Registration for voters will close next Friday at 5pm.

Voters can register online at www.elections.gov.bm or at the Parliamentary Registration office in Craig Appin House, 3rd floor, 8 Wesley Street, Hamilton.