The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice will stand against the One Bermuda Alliance leader at the General Election next month.

Kim Wilkerson was unveiled as the Progressive Labour Party candidate for Paget West (Constituency 23) by David Burt at a press conference this morning.

Jarion Richardson, the OBA leader, secured the seat — a safe one for the party — at the October 2020 poll, when he took more than 60 per cent of the vote.

Today, Ms Wilkerson said that she did not live in the constituency and had yet to start canvassing voters — but that she felt no trepidation about the challenge.

Ms Wilkerson said: “To be frank I haven’t been canvassing in [Constituency] 23 but I will be canvassing.

“This has been a late decision — one that I had to think on — because my plate is very full carrying out the mandate as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

“I had to think carefully about whether I would be able to give the time to seat 23.

“I’ll know more specifically about what needs changing in the constituency once I’ve had the chance to canvass, get some boots on the ground, get some support there.

“No trepidation whatsoever. I’m ready for this fight. I think I have the skills, qualifications and problem-solving aptitude to put up a credible fight.”

Asked if any seat was safe in today’s political climate, Ms Wilkerson said: “Statistically you would see certain constituencies where historically the balance has been one way or the other, but yeah, look what’s happening in the United States.

“There is no safe seat. Every seat has to be fought for and won.”

Ms Wilkerson has spent more than 35 years working in the insurance industry as an attorney.

She served in the Senate in 2016, and was reappointed to the Upper House as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice last September following the resignation of Kathy-Lynn Simmons.

Ms Wilkerson said today that she had previous experience in public life and planned to bring “an independent mind, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills” to government.

She said: “My passion is to fight for human rights, and see more humanity in the way we operate as a country and how we connect one citizen to another.”

Ms Wilkerson said that, as Attorney-General, she had continued to make laws “fairer and more reflective of the needs of Bermudians today and a Bermuda of the future”.

She said: “I promise to be accessible and accountable, but more important than that, I promise to do.

“I will be a change maker for C23 and for Bermuda.”

On the issue of crime, Ms Wilkerson said that she was working closely with the Minister of National Security and added that she believed in collaboration.

She said: “I’m keenly interested in assisting to ensure that we can measure outcomes, that we have programmes in place for transformation.”

Ms Wilkerson said it was important to provide alternatives for young men who believed that they could only succeed in life through crime.

“There is something fundamental that we need to deal with, and that is what I mean when I talk about humanity,” she said.

“What is the problem? What is the ‘why’ of this?”

Mr Burt gave Ms Wilkerson his backing and described her as an “incredibly qualified candidate” who had “a passion for service”.

He said that her career, character and life story “epitomise our party’s values of fairness and service and reflect the aspirations of the people of Bermuda”.

The PLP leader said: “Kim has shown that her commitment goes beyond titles and offices.

“She understands that leadership is about lifting others up and not standing above them.

“She embodies the Progressive Labour Party’s vision of building a fairer Bermuda.

“She knows what fairness means — ensuring that our children have access to world-class education, that working families can afford to put food on the table, and that our seniors can live out their golden years in dignity.”

Mr Burt added: “This election is about choosing the future that we want.

“Kim Wilkerson is the kind of leader who understands that progress towards a fairer Bermuda for all of us is not inevitable.

“It is something that we have to fight for, something that we have to work for, and something that we have to deliver together.

“It is clear that the Attorney-General is well accomplished and if the residents of Constituency 23 put together the résumés, accomplishments and community activism and records between the Attorney-General and the Opposition leader, I think they will have a very difficult choice to make.

“But some persons will think twice about changing their voting patterns to vote for this incredibly qualified candidate that we’re putting forward to the electorate today.”