Video: PLP Announce Pastor Leroy Bean

January 23, 2025 | 6 Comments

[Updated] The Progressive Labour Party is holding a press conference this afternoon [Jan 23] to announce Pastor Leroy Bean as the candidate for Constituency #5 Hamilton East. We will have additional coverage later on and in the meantime the live video is below.

Pastor Leroy Bean PLP candidate Jan 2025 bermuda AW (3)

The PLP has won the seat with over 72% of the vote since the one seat system started in 2003, with all five of those elections won by the PLP’s Derrick Burgess. As Mr Burgess is not be running for re-election, for the first time in over 20 years this area will have a new MP. The FDM’s Desmond Crockwell has confirmed that he will be running in this area and the OBA website lists Lateef Trott as the candidate for the area.

Update 3.25pm: PLP Leader and Premier Burt’s remarks:

Good Morning, PLP Family, residents of Hamilton East, members of the media, and the people of Bermuda and of course, Cousin Derrick

The Progressive Labour Party believes leadership is rooted in service, community, and a commitment to improving the lives of every Bermudian. This election is about the future of our island and ensuring that those placed in positions of leadership are people who represent those values and will help make Bermuda a fairer place.

Since coming into office, this Government has taken decisive action to make Bermuda a place where opportunity is within reach for everyone.

We’ve invested record amounts in affordable housing, reduced taxes for 86% of workers and every business, introduced Bermuda’s first-ever minimum wage, increased pensions for our seniors by the rate of inflation, and expanded childcare assistance.

We recognise that to continue to deliver a fairer Bermuda, we need leaders who are rooted in their communities, understand the challenges people face, and have a track record of delivering solutions. Today, I am proud to announce that the Progressive Labour Party have chosen someone who is that kind of leader as our candidate for Constituency 5, filling the shoes of someone whose shoes are difficult to fill.

Cousin Derrick has served his community and his country. He has been a member of parliament since 1998, has served as the President of the Bermuda Industrial Union, Minister, Deputy Premier, Deputy Speaker, counsellor to many, cousin to all, and I want to take the time today in Alaska Hall to thank him for his service.

So as we say goodbye to cousin Derrick as an MP, but certainly not as a member of the Progressive Labour Party. We welcome the new candidate for Constituency 5, Hamilton East, Pastor Leroy Bean.
Pastor Leroy Bean PLP candidate Jan 2025 bermuda AW (1)

Leroy Bean is no stranger to service. He has dedicated his life to empowering those who need it most. As founder of C.A.R.T.E.L. [Challenging and Reclaiming the True Essence of Life], he has gone beyond words—he’s created programs, resources, and support systems that address the root causes of violence and help uplift our communities.

In 2017, he was appointed Bermuda’s Gang Violence Reduction Coordinator. He took on one of the most challenging jobs in the country and approached it with courage, compassion, and resolve.

He was instrumental in developing Bermuda’s National Violence Reduction Strategy, which was recently passed in the House of Assembly. This comprehensive strategy aims to address the root causes of violence, from economic hardship to intergenerational trauma, while focusing on prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation.

This work is pivotal in creating safer, stronger communities and a testament to the Government’s deep commitment to fostering peace and opportunity across our island.

But Pastor Bean’s work doesn’t start or stop at violence reduction. Through his church, Transfiguration Ministries, and the Transfiguration Safe House for substance abusers, he has extended a hand to those battling addiction, homelessness, and other challenges. He has been a voice of compassion and action, providing counselling, mentorship, and advocacy for countless Bermudians.

Pastor Bean understands the struggles many in our community face. He faced challenges himself and did the work to turn his life around. He used his experiences to make a difference, becoming an ordained bishop, a counsellor, and a relentless advocate for change.

He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Counseling with a concentration on trauma and crisis and a Master’s in Government Public Policy and Law. He has also served as an addiction counsellor for various organisations, and earned certifications in disaster management, restorative practices, and crisis counselling.

Pastor Bean is a published author and a dynamic international speaker who uses his platform to discuss issues that matter to our youth and our island.

Hamilton East deserves a representative who understands its challenges and has the vision and experience to tackle them. And just as they have had with Cousin Derrick for the last 26 years, they deserve to have an MP who is ever present in their community.

Pastor Bean believes, as the PLP does, that Bermuda’s strength lies in its people. His record of service, and his deep connection to this community make him the ideal candidate to represent Constituency 5.

I have no doubt that Pastor Bean will bring the same dedication and passion to the House of Assembly and this constituency as he has brought to every role he has held.

So, PLP Family, join me in welcoming Pastor Leroy Bean as the Progressive Labour Party candidate for Constituency 5, Hamilton East.

Thank you.

Pastor Leroy Bean’s remarks:

I first of all would like to thank God, who made this opportunity possible, the Premier, my family, and constituency of C5. Today is a moment of profound gratitude, humility, and purpose.

I stand before you as a servant of God and the people of Bermuda. I am humbled by the trust placed in me to represent the proud and resilient community of Hamilton East as your new Progressive Labour Party candidate.

I must first pay homage to the honorable Derrick Burgess, a man whose tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to this constituency and our beloved Bermuda has set a standard of excellence. His leadership has been a beacon, and I am determined to honor his legacy by carrying forward the torch of progress.

But this is not just a moment for me; it is a moment for us. For Hamilton East is more than just a constituency—it is a family. And like any family, we have our strengths, our struggles, and our shared dreams.

Pastor Leroy Bean PLP candidate Jan 2025 bermuda AW (2)

For years, I have walked among you—not as a politician, but as a pastor, a community servant, and your brother. I have looked into the eyes of our young men caught in the deadly grip of gang violence. I have embraced mothers and fathers who grieve for the sons and daughters they have lost. I have stood on the front lines as Bermuda’s Gang Violence Reduction Coordinator, not just to fight against violence, but to fight for the healing of our people, our families, and our future.

We must confront the root of our pain—this transgenerational trauma that has left too many of us feeling broken, abandoned, and forgotten. It is not enough to say, “Stop the violence.” We must understand why it began. We must ask ourselves why so many of our young people feel there is no place for them in society. And then, we must rise together to create a future where every child knows they are valued, every family feels supported, and every community is safe.

My work has always been about transformation—turning pain into purpose, despair into determination. Whether counseling a young man on the brink of destruction or bringing together rivals to build peace, I have seen what is possible when we choose hope over hatred and unity over division.

But let us be clear: healing alone is not enough. We need action. We need investment in education that inspires our children and prepares them for the opportunities of tomorrow. We need affordable housing that gives every family the dignity of a place to call home. We need to strengthen our mental health services because healing our hearts is as important as healing our bodies. And we need jobs—good, meaningful jobs that allow our people to build a future here, in the land we love.

And it is for those reasons, that I believe the PLP is the best choice to take us forward into a fairer Bermuda for all of us…and not just the privileged few.

Hamilton East, I do not come before you with empty promises or political platitudes. I come as a man who has lived your struggles, shared your burdens, and worked tirelessly for change. Together, we can be the example for Bermuda—a community that rises from adversity, that chooses compassion over conflict, and that builds a future rooted in justice, opportunity, and love.

So today, I say to you: let us walk this journey together. Let us honor the legacy of those who came before us, while building a brighter tomorrow for those yet to come. Let us commit to the work of transformation— not just for Hamilton East, but for all of Bermuda. The time is now. The place is here. And the people of Hamilton East will lead the way.

Thank you, and may God bless you all as we walk steadily forward towards a fairer Bermuda for all of us.

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Comments (6)

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  1. Mr. Apathy says:

    I find any political party inviting clergymen into a position to influence public policy highly concerning on many levels. Church and state should be separate. ALWAYS. The fact Pastor Bean does not see the differentiation between the two by his own admission, is highly troubling.

    Also, we have been paying this man’s $125k salary since 2017… meanwhile for the latest available crime report from the police:

    “Nine murders also took place in 2022, five of which were the result of firearms offences. Three people died from bladed articles and one died after an assault.

    The incidents were among the 693 crimes against the person that year.

    Serious assaults rose from 38 in 2021 to 49 in 2022, while other assaults rose from 398 in 2021 to 487 in 2022, and sexual assaults rose from 43 in 2021 to 47 in 2022.

    Robberies also rose from 22 in 2021 to 26 in 2022 and indecency offences increased from 28 offences in 2021 to 36 in 2022.”

    In other words, violent crime has not gone down in Bermuda…

    The public ought to demand a refund from this wolf in sheep’s clothing clearly in this for the paycheck he gets from his friends in the PLP.

    • Mr Apathy says:

      I agree with you 100 percent.AND LET ME ASK: Where did he get a PhD from? Really. Mind yo, there is an institution thAt gives them to you based on your experience.AND not one media has investigated this. Nonsense. No academics? Read and try and understand his PhD. And will he still receive his salary as gang reduction coordinator or just as an MP salary?.Clearly the strategy whatever it is, has failed. Are all of those banners pasted around Bermuda, concession to the gang member? Unbelieveable. It would be something if the voters rejected him.

  2. Barbara Cooper says:

    I agree with Mr. Apathy who says:

    ‘I find any political party inviting clergymen into a position to influence public policy highly concerning on many levels. Church and state should be separate. ALWAYS. The fact Pastor Bean does not see the differentiation between the two by his own admission, is highly troubling.

    Also, we have been paying this man’s $125k salary since 2017… meanwhile for the latest available crime report from the police:

    “Nine murders also took place in 2022, five of which were the result of firearms offences. Three people died from bladed articles and one died after an assault.

    The incidents were among the 693 crimes against the person that year.

    Serious assaults rose from 38 in 2021 to 49 in 2022, while other assaults rose from 398 in 2021 to 487 in 2022, and sexual assaults rose from 43 in 2021 to 47 in 2022.

    Robberies also rose from 22 in 2021 to 26 in 2022 and indecency offences increased from 28 offences in 2021 to 36 in 2022.”

    In other words, violent crime has not gone down in Bermuda…

    The public ought to demand a refund from this wolf in sheep’s clothing clearly in this for the paycheck he gets from his friends in the PLP’.

  3. Barbara Cooper says:

    Well spoken but he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

  4. trufth says:

    I guess since he cured the gang problem and got paid loads, that he’s now looking for another well-paying govt job where he doesn’t have to do anything to get paid. It’s a good gig if you can get it.

    Bermuda loves to reward failure.

  5. Jah says:

    An utter failure on gang violence and pure Burt cronyism. Please don’t elect this man.

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