Five people said to be “respected and loved in their community“ were announced as election candidates by the Free Democratic Movement yesterday.

Shalleya Codrington, a small-business owner, will run in Sandys North (Constituency 36), where FDM leader Marc Bean was defeated in a by-election last October as well as in the 2020 General Election.

She has a brand of products under the name SC SkinCare and wrote in an op-ed published in The Royal Gazette this month that the FDM represented “accountability, inclusion and genuine leadership”.

Ms Codrington added then: “It refuses to play political games and is committed to building a unified future where love and respect triumph over deceit.”

She said today that she was earlier approached to stand for the PLP but felt the FDM was the party that would take action on important issues without making “false promises”.

She said: “I presented both parties with the issues I was facing within our community and it was the FDM that put action behind the things that I was saying.

“I am a person that wants to take action on issues that people in my constituency bring to me. They did that for me at the by-election and I want to be part of something that moves the country forward.

“We are not making false promises. We are not actually making promises, we are saying that we want to do our best to address the issues that you bring to us and we are going to work with you to do that.”

Ms Codrington, a student of the Bermuda College, added that young people needed a proper foundation in financial management.

She said her constituents had raised issues including infrastructure, housing and the economy as well as a lack of activities for young people to engage in.

The Reverend Emily Gail Dill, for the Progressive Labour Party, won Sandys North in the by-election last year, when Carl Neblett ran for the One Bermuda Alliance — both are to stand again in the vote next month, as well as independent candidate Ci’re Bean.

Shakera Richardson, will run for the FDM in St David’s (Constituency 3), which was won by the PLP’s Lovitta Foggo in 2020.

The two will be up against Maurice Foley for the OBA in the General Election on February 18.

Ms Richardson said her passion is in hospitality but the sector “took a turn for the worse” and so she is now a business owner.

She highlighted that she is a product of the late Hilton Richardson, a founder of St David's Primary School and an “advocate for the community”.

Ms Richardson said that in her constituency, facilities such as parks and bus stops needed to be better cleaned and maintained.

“Every single park in St David’s is neglected,” she said. “The bus stops are left horrible. Little things like that make a difference.

“When things like this are neglected, the people feel neglected,” she added.

The FDM’s Shermaine Murphy-Riley is to take on Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, in Pembroke East Central (Constituency 16), where John Seymour will run for the OBA.

Mr Weeks, of the PLP, was uncontested for the seat in 2020.

Ms Riley said much work needs to be done, and added that “the FDM has what it takes to change Bermuda”.

She said that addressing antisocial behaviour in her constituency was a priority.

Speaking of young people, Ms Riley said: “I see a pain in their hearts … they don't feel secure here.

“It is important for us to create an atmosphere and an island in which they can feel safe and loved and see that they can build a future for themselves and their families.”

The FDM presented Ricardo Nesbitt as a contender for Pembroke Central (Constituency 17), won by Jason Hayward for the PLP at the last General Election.

Glenn Tucker will battle that seat for the OBA next month and Rolfe Commissiong, a former PLP MP, has announced his intention to stand there as an independent candidate.

Mr Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, will attempt to hold the seat.

Mr Nesbitt said he was a union executive shop steward for 15 years.

He said he would like to see union representation expanded to include all employers and added that he believes FDM leader Mr Bean would lead with “honesty and integrity”.

Kelzine Thompson will represent the FDM in Pembroke South East (Constituency 21), retained for the PLP by Curtis Dickinson in 2020.

The OBA has put forward Sophia Tessitore for that battle.

Ms Thompson said there are a lot of people who had entered the political fray and said it would take collective working to move the island forward.

Omar Dill, the FDM chairman, said each of the candidates was from the constituency they will stand in.

He added that “they are active in their community, they are respected and loved in their community”.

Mr Dill would not confirm whether the party had a full slate of 36 candidates and said that would be revealed in upcoming announcements.

The FDM became a third-party challenger ahead of the 2020 General Election but did not win any seats.

In an interview with the Gazettethis month, Mr Bean revealed the party was back and ready to govern after the upcoming General Election.

Mr Bean conceded then that the party had appeared to have gone “dormant” since 2020, but said it was the only option to rid the island of race-based politics.