Video: Swan To Run For OBA In By-Election
[Updated] The OBA announced that Robyn Swan will be their candidate for the by-election in Constituency 26 Warwick South Central, which is set to take place on December 20th.
This by-election is being called due to the retirement of Marc Bean, who stepped down as both Leader of the Opposition and as a Member of Parliament.
The last by-election in Constituency #26 was called in 2010 following the resignation of former Premier Dr Ewart Brown, and saw a three-way race with the PLP, UBP and BDA. Mr Bean won with 310 votes, United Bermuda Party candidate Devrae Noel-Simmons with 78 votes, while Sylvan Richards, then running under the Bermuda Democratic Alliance, got 70 votes.
In the 2012 General Election Marc Bean retained the C#26 seat with 65.08% of the vote vs Ras Mykkal [OBA]. The 2007 General Election saw Dr Ewart Brown [PLP] win 68.45% of the vote vs Roderick Simmons [UBP], while the 2003 General Election saw Dr Brown win with 65.99% of the vote vs Gwyneth Rawlins [UBP].
The PLP has not yet announced their candidate for this by-election, and are expected to in the coming days. The press conference has just concluded, and we will update with additional information as able.
11-minute live video replay of the announcement:
Update 12.00pm: Speaking at the announcement, Premier Dunkley said, “Good morning Bermuda. As you know, with the resignation of Mr. Marc Bean as a Member of Parliament, Warwick South Central, Constituency 26, is scheduled for a bye-election on December 20th. To contest the election for the One Bermuda Alliance, I am really pleased to introduce our candidate Ms Robyn Swan.
“I have known Robyn for more than a decade. She is sincere, conscientious, compassionate and kind. She is someone who has always been community-minded. Some of you may be familiar with Robin through her work on radio or as a DJ, or through her service on the Cannabis Reform Collaborative.
“Most important, Robyn served eight years with the Department of Corrections, an experience that gave her deep understanding of the inequities and dysfunctions that have affected the lives of many Bermudians.
“As Premier, I want her perspective on these issues in the room, where they can do the most good.
“Robyn has thrown her hat into the ring for all the right reasons. She believes in the principles and values that underpin the OBA – fairness, service, transparency, inclusiveness and integrity. And she believes Bermuda’s best future is built through healthy families and caring communities on a level playing field for one and all.
“To the people of Warwick South Central, I can tell you through my own experience that Robyn Swan will be a representative who listens, cares and communicates; she will be available, active and forceful for the interests of the people she represents.
“There are other considerations. If you believe in roadside testing to make our roads safe, If you believe in more protection for Bermudian workers, if you believe in making our system of government more transparent and accountable, if you believe in decriminalizing possession of small amounts of cannabis to prevent unnecessary criminalization of young Bermudians, if you believe in protecting seniors from discrimination in employment and reducing the cost of their long-term care, if you believe in easing pressures on low income earners through payroll tax reform and if you believe that economic recovery must continue to reach into households across the Island, then you should vote for Robyn Swan.
“She will carry the torch for positive change, helping Bermudians work together, build together and rise together.”
- Robyn Swan Standing Strong for OBA
- Robyn Swan Standing Strong to be an MP
- Robyn Swan Standing Strong to get 1 of the 2,000 jobs
- Robyn Swan Standing Strong before being the sacrificial lamb at the Polls on 20 December 2016
- Robyn Swan Standing Strong for not being connected to Constituency 26 after living in USA all her life.
Come on OBA Caucus, even President Elect Trump finds stronger people than Robyn Swan.
Desk Warmer, your name is apropos for your rather uninformed “opinion”.
Living in the USA all her life? Huh? What a silly comment to make. Did you not hear that she worked at the prison for 8 years? I’ve personally known and physically interacted with her since 2005, so that’s at least 11 years… sigh… Why make a point based on mis-information?
Look, I’m frustrated with both parties which is why i don’t vote for parties, but I know Robyn and I can surely vouch for her to represent her constituency very well! Best wishes Robyn, wish I was in your constituency!
Grateful
If you are frustrated with politics and don’t vote why are you surrogating the OBA, my party?
Robyn will not win and will waste her time and people will continue to challenge us on things like the ill conceived Airport Project and Pathways.
I love my Party but we need to change course on a few issues.
A few issues is an understatement.
lol…. Desk Warmer= fail….. knew it would not be long until the character assassinations started….wait until the PLP name their representative….her name will become mud….and to think 36 people agreed with a NON-FACTUAL statement… OBA has zero chance; sheep follow anything they read….And I am not a loyal supporter to EITHER Party…
SMDH
Butt who’s desk do you warm???
Desk warmer, get your facts straight before you make WRONG assumptions or comments! I’ve known Robyn for many years, worked with her at another local company before she worked at for the Dept of Corrections
Honestly I agree.
Whom ever the PLP fields will beat her.
Hmmmmmmm, so ou had no problem with Dr Brown being Premeir after spending most of his adult life in the USA and becoming an american citizen, but you have a problem with her?
If she help to get on job that is better than the few THOUSAND that was lost under the PLP watch.
People that live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Who cares if she spent her teen years in the states. There are lots of people that spend their years some where else, She is still a Bermudian that came back to make a difference. It’s obvious your not an OBA supporter so , just make sure you go out and Vote for PLP
For the sake of argument, let’s say that last time around it was PLP 310 and OBA 148. I think if the OBA keep it that margin they will be happy.
And this Time it will be PLP 500, OBA 1
As history has shown less people come out for primaries so the worst I will hope for is this percentage with the plp winning. Even with the recent situations???? Maybe less of a percentage of PLP voters will come out because of those squabbles
I think that we have a more sophisticated voter now days that wants good qualities in their representative and the party which they represent. I would not be at all surprised if Robyn turns the tables and OBA win the seat.
YOU MUST BE SMOKING SOME POPOPOP.
You mean the voter is not more sophisticated???? Are you calling the voters unsophisticated?
sorry wahoo…. you can run a brown paper bag in this constituency with PLP written on it….and it will win…. yes there are similar constituencies where it’s the same for the OBA…..Bermuda’s voting base at it’s best….we have ALREADY seen people getting voted in who could have murdered some-one and it would not have made a difference….Does not matter in certain “strong holds”…..
SMH…
Whilst there should not be such thing as a safe seat, that certainly is one for the PLP.
Robyn, I know you to be everything that Premier Dunkley has said about you, and more! I could wish you were running in a safer seat, because we could use more honest, up-front, sincerely Bermuda-oriented people like you on the Hill. Wishing you the very, very best!
Pastor Syl, I too know Robin Swan and I would not grace this people’s forum
with what I really think of her and you.
But let’s just say that it begins with the word “…”.
CONGRATULATIONS ROBYN….
Its a strong safe seat….may as well run Alabama Anderson there
I disagree. I live in #26, and neither party better take me for granted.
The battle for the government is in #1 & #2; forget #20. That’s why they are telling the good people of St. George that someone in their right mind is going to build a hotel & casino down there. This should be a quid pro quo St. George.
Yeah and I don’t know why Nandi is all smiley faced in the picture because her political career is over. I will make sure of that! I haven’t seen her on my doorstep yet and don’t wish too see her anytime soon, so enjoy your 15 minutes of fame Nandi….your time is up!!
Desk warmer is not telling the truth. I have worked at the department of corrections for 15 years and know that ms swan was employed there for years. I also knew her before she started the department of corrections and she was living in Bermuda years before being employed at corrections. All the best ms swan.
The sad thing is they will use her like they did all the other Bermudians. Then she will learn and jump over to the PLP. If Trumps win didn’t teach us anything we’re doomed.
Dunkley are you building a airport or a wall to write you’re name on saying I was here from 2012 – 2017?
This will be interesting.
OBA are not even trying
Jamhal flip flop single digit IS was an example of not trying.
Proved to be successful.
Sick and tired time for Russia wit love maybe u all will learn
I am so proud of us as a country, we succeed in international business, we are beginning to see the light in tourism. We have a monopoly on being expert in everything under the sun in Bermuda and we totally excel in playground politics. We make the US political scene look good and sophisticated.
Congrats to all we should be sooo proud!! Lol. What a bunch of dreamers.
Have a blessed day
We all know she will lose not only because it is a PLP stronghold but because she is the political equivalent to a tortoise on a fence post.
Congrats to the OBA for fielding a fresh face. The PLPs are all looking like week old bread….
And O.B.A. like month old milk.
LMFAO
How many COI appearances qualify you to be a candidate? LMFAO.
Vote for the candidate not the party. Who knows who the PLP will field, but the 2 candidates should be considered on their own merits. Robyn Swan (who I do not know) sounds like exactly the sort of person Bermuda needs in politics to move forward. Consider the other candidate when they are named and make your decision on that basis. Bermuda is better than party politics
Despite all the negativity in this comment feed, I am proud that Robyn is stepping to the plate and getting further involved in Bermuda politics, so I congratulate her. I know her to be passionate, well rounded, and a lovely person. I wish her luck for the future.
Mr / Mrs “Demus”,
Its not negativity, its simply people being tremendously direct and critical. The OBA’s whole communication strategy and engagement with the Public, since Dec 2012 has been abysmal – particularly when contrasted with their glossy and seductive election campaign which guaranteed transparency and a better experience than we had with the PLP.
Soon after Dec 2012, the OBA ideals and the people we were asked to believe in and support as “Change” Candidates seemed to morph into drones moving on command from a mother ship located somewhere 40 miles north of Devonshire Bay, or Point Shares. Every now and then we see a glimmer of hope from say an MP Crockwell or MP Leah Scott who are clearly listening to the constituents they represent and receive pointed criticism from when they traverse the island about their daily lives.
However, too many of the OBA MPs seemingly have lost the approach(ability) they had pre-Dec 2012, now they are all busy, don’t respond to emails/questions and seem to never be able to respond on any issue unless they go and get permission from the Point Shares mother ship.
We are sure that Candidate Robyn Swan is a superb person, her sharp views on that Talking Group Facebook page indicate she does have critical thinking skills, challenges norms and will have the capacity to do good work as an MP, but to be frank the OBA really need to get back to basics and re-engage the 15% swing voters, and stay home voters, that contributed to their 2 seat precarious majority.
Premier Cannonier jumping in to answer a question directed at this new Candidate really reinforces the whole surrogacy (40 Thieves Proxies) theory when, just like with former Premier Cannonier, it appears there is always a need to bring out a particular race/sex to appeal to the voters.
Why wasn’t Senator Fahy, or Senator Toni Daniels or Alexis Swan or Andrew Simons selected to run? as those are OBA names and faces we know and can get behind, simply going into Gibbons Co, Brown & Co, or a Chat group and plucking the “right” face/sex for candidacy really needs to stop.
Happy Friday
Yours faithfully,
Desk Warmer
Seriously OBA?
Bermuda you have a party in power that is working for you but for some unknown reasons you won’t give them the opportunity to make your life better. For heavens sake give them a chance, seriouly what do you have to loose, surely not $800.000,000. Again. By this time next year this country under the tutelage of the OBA Bermuda will be prospering and the good old day will have returned. Mark my word..