A businessman made his debut in the political arena when he was announced as an independent candidate for Warwick West today.

Gavin Kennedy said that he wanted to focus on empowering young people with a volley of new programmes and improving the tourism industry, as well as addressing cost-of-living challenges.

Addressing members of the media at Warwick Playground, he said: “I’ve lived in Warwick for over 40 years, running a small business here for the past 15 years.

“I know the struggles of our community because I live them daily.

“Bermudians are calling for change, accountability and action, and I believe the independent route is the best way to deliver that.

“Free from party politics, I will advocate for policies that benefit the people, not the party.”

Mr Kennedy, who runs TheHub electronics shop in Warwick, said that he wanted to keep young adults involved in Bermudian politics by introducing absentee ballots.

He said that young adults were “risking their finances” to go overseas to better their education — only to be denied the right to vote through a lack of access.

Mr Kennedy said that he wanted to restructure after-school programmes so that younger children could be mentored by older pupils.

He also advocated for independent authorities to oversee education and tourism.

Mr Kennedy said that the Bermuda Tourism Authority was “an awesome idea,” but he believed that it “tanked” after increased political involvement in the organisation.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority Amendment Act 2018 gave the relevant minister the power to appoint board members after consultation with the board, as well as a deputy chairman.

Mr Kennedy added that he wanted to introduce “year-round incentives” and improve flight service to the island to revitalise the tourism industry.

He said he grew up in a household that supported the United Bermuda Party and supported legislation from both the One Bermuda Alliance and the Progressive Labour Party.

Mr Kennedy told The Royal Gazette that, after years of splitting his vote, he wanted to break the cycle of party politics.

He said: “I gave them [the PLP] an opportunity, I gave the OBA an opportunity. I trusted the PLP — I believed in them, I believed in their platform.

“I don’t believe that they are, right now, moving Bermuda towards the 21st century.”

Mr Kennedy added: “We need to move past party politics. If you have a question, you come to me and I’ll raise it.”

He is the latest in a slew of independent candidates to throw their hats into the ring since a General Election was called on January 8.

Environmentalist Noelle Young, Women’s Resource Centre executive director Juanae Crockwell and former PLP backbencher Rolfe Commissiong all confirmed their candidacy this week.

The wave of independent candidates followed after Sir John Swan, a former UBP Premier, last year announced his return to politics and called on others to do the same.

Sir John, who was at the announcement today, said the influx of candidates showed that the public wanted to actively participate in democracy.

He added: “There are people who feel as though the party system — which has served Bermuda, sometimes good sometimes not so good — has run its course.

“My hope one day is that every Member of Parliament is an independent member, and the public will pick the best person.

“That, to me, is moving closer to democracy than to have a party system that polarises, that gives favour to people who are in that polarised circle and deprives people who need it the most — the public.

“I feel as though the time has come now that maybe this is the beginning of a new era for Bermuda, where party politics is taken off the table and independent members will go to the House of Assembly and serve their constituents.”

Mr Kennedy will face the PLP candidate Dennis Lister III, who won the seat in 2020, and OBA candidate Victoria Cunningham in the contest for Constituency 28.

The Free Democratic Movement have not announced a candidate for the constituency.

Mr Kennedy will hold a town hall meeting on January 22 at St Anthony’s Church on Middle Road, Warwick, to hear the concerns of his would-be constituents from 6pm to 8pm.