Column: “Open Letter” To Devonshire Voters
[Opinion column written by Andrew Simons, the OBA candidate for this week’s by-election]
On Thursday, February 4, the people of Devonshire North Central, Constituency 13, will vote for the candidate of their choice. This is my “open letter” to you, the voters.
I am committed to serving each and every one of you to the best of my ability. I will listen to your concerns and fight to ensure your voice is heard in the heart of government, not just in the House of Assembly.
I would be an MP who works for you – the person you can call any time, who listens, who stays in touch and reports back. In doing so, we could make progress on issues in our constituency and Bermuda as a whole.
I understand the cynicism about politics today. Debates in the House of Assembly are toxic at times; however, they don’t have to be. In my public service thus far, I have been guided by the following values: fairness, respect, accountability, and collaboration.
We all have an understanding of what it means to treat people fairly and with respect. I would like to comment on the need for accountability and collaboration.
Accountability helps us perform better in government and in the work place.
For example, as a member of the Board of the Bermuda Health Council, I saw how holding business owners accountable can protect people against employers by enforcing the law that requires them to maintain health insurance for their employees. Today, because of the changes we brought forward, delinquent employers have been convicted in court and publicly named and shamed.
Freedom of information and transparency promote more open and accountable government. To that end, I co-founded in 2013, Bermuda.io, a website that provides access to 20 years of financial information of the Government of Bermuda. Journalists, politicians, civil servants, and ordinary citizens have relied on this website over the past two years. This website has already enriched debates on public issues in Bermuda by rooting arguments in fact.
Collaboration is vital to Bermuda’s progress. I will push to end a brand of politics that keeps us apart. I will look for opportunities for cooperation between the political parties and for Island-wide conversations on the issues of the day. The best solutions to our problems will be identified by working together. No single party or individual has a monopoly on knowledge and wisdom.
My goal is to make these values and principles work for the people of Constituency 13 and all of Bermuda.
My time at The Berkeley Institute and Stanford University instilled in me a hunger to solve problems. I am excited and confident about making a difference in people’s lives.
My priorities as your MP will be threefold:
- Protecting seniors’ quality of life, making sure they get the services they require;
- Building a health care system that is affordable and sustainable, providing the care people deserve; and
- Growing the economy to provide the jobs and income people need.
People need a representative to listen to them, to work for them, and to keep them informed. I pledge to do that.
There is only a short time before the vote on Thursday, February 4. If I have not yet met you and you would like to contact me please call me on 294-3213 or email me at asimons@oba.bm.
- Andrew Simons
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Opinion columns reflect the views of the writer, and not those of Bernews Ltd. To submit an Opinion Column/Letter to the Editor, please email info@bernews.com. Bernews welcomes submissions, and while there are no length restrictions, all columns must be signed by the writer’s real name.
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You are comnmitted to serving each and everyone to the best of tour ability, but your party’s actions, thats a whole nother story.
lolol true
Before he ran in the 2012 election I never heard of Andrew Simons. Hes stating how involved he in/was in the community, serving. Never heard of him.
No way will you be able to fulfil all of those wonderful PROMISES to each and everyone in Constituency #13 while abiding in the corrupt house of the UBP/BDA/OBA. STOP faking it for the votes. I sincerely hope that the constituents do not believe a word you have said, and they vote solidly for Diallo Rabain.
You guys obviously think Andrew has a good chance of winning the vote, or you wouldn’t be blasting hot air at him.
I mean, come on, he is running in a PLP constituency. He should have absolutely no chance of winning, but you all obviously think he is good enough and worthy enough to win the vote. Hence all the nonsense posts from you all.
I think the PLPites on here have effectively given the voters a ringing endorsement of Andrew as the right candidate to vote for in the election.
I bet they wished he represented the PLP
I believe Andrew is a really good person and candidate, however when I juxtapose his statement above, to the OBA’s policies and recent behaviors, I just cannot support him in this by-election.
Andrew speaks to his three priorities, yet the OBA has been deficient in all three categories over the last 3 years. They are systematically ruining any quality of life for working class seniors with increased taxes, and no income adjustments. Does Andrew plan to challenge the OBA Finance Minister and Health Minister? What magic light will go off once he is elected that they haven’t been able to turn on all this time?
I think Andrew’s heart is definitely in the right place, but I don’t think his party subscribes to the same philosophies unfortunately. He speaks to growing the economy, yet there are no specifics, not from him, nor in the OBA policies, and every suggestion by the PLP is discarded or ignored. Is this the collaboration he speaks about?
So while I do think Andrew is genuine, I think he may be a lone soldier in his party, which is unfortunate.
Not the OBA’s fault that the PLP’s ideas blow.
Which policies exactly?
Andrew , Great article. The people of Constituency 13 would have an excellent representative in you. Continue to work hard , and I’ll see you at the finish line.
For someone who cried the P.L.P. down when they were Government, you went off the grid during the Jet Gate and all the other gates, now you surface to be an advocate for young Black men, yet haven’t heard a peep from you about the inefficiency of your party and their Anti-Bermudian policies and the disrespect to our seniors.
Sick and tired of Surrogates !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…so says the # 1 PLP surrogate.
Onion Juice, I hope that’s not your real name, but then again you’re too afraid to use your real name. I’ve been on the front line fighting for real issues in Bermuda. I’ve spoken out against my party on many issues. If anyone is a SURROGATE, it is you. You can’t join any other party even if you wanted too. FEAR paralyzes you. Your a big man at home behind a computer, but in real life , you are probably very SMALL.
I doubt he could buy a place with no money darn.
What’s ironic is as Black people when we are a part of Black Institutions, we publicly discredit and down the Black Institutions, but publicly don’t give the same sentiments to white institutions when we are a part of them, and the white community looks at us as a joke because, we always shun our entities to join theirs (to be used as puppets)for economic or social status or to sway more to join and they don’t support the Black plight(well a few but they saw how Dr. Ball was treated).
That’s why the Dr. Gordon, Freddy Wade, Lois Brown Evans, Doc Lynch, Kenyetta Young etc. and crew will always be the True Heroes for Blacks in Bermuda, not being swayed by economic and social status to align themselves with the Institutions that don’t have the BEST interest of their people.
A disgrace to those who laid the foundation for you.
Gone are the days when we had Black Leaders who are not ashamed of supporting our interest, but yet instead side with the entity who oppressed our Forefathers and being used as a token for economic and social status.
F!@#ing Pathetic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps you should be a man and take responsibility for your own choices instead of trying to put that blame on others.
Your ideology is flawed, others woke up to that many years ago. why can’t you?
This all coming from a man who was PLP, NLP, UBP, BDA and now OBA.
so Rodney we all knew that you were a oba/ubp clone
so the oba have another one
Andrew I know you mean well but honestly the OBA is a party that makes promises and forgets the promise. You will be another yes man.
carry on soldier
tired of my people biachen. We as a people are a sad bunch, unable to get out of our own way. if you think you can do better….. get out of your comfort zone and go for it,lets you see the sacrifice needed to even enter the ring of politics. people not liking you, not even knowing you,talking bad about, shall i go on …. lets stop the mess …. they say they work for us… set up our own boards the hold them accountable …. even have the power to remove them. Gave you the people an idea now what…. try that on for size… sad people of bermuda…. that is what they should start calling us …. all talk no action . I appluad Andrew for believing he could make a difference… in your beliefs comes strength, do not stop.
Here is another one..
There is 2 kinds of people in life. Those with jerseys and those with air-horns. The ones with jerseys are on the field, in the game, making a difference.
The ones with air-horns are on the sidelines, making a lot of noise.
Congrats to the 2 candidates for putting themselves forward.
To put it simply the PLP is not the answer, they don`t have the skill,mindset or experience to run Bermuda period!
And I guess Cannonair did.
LMFAO
Andrew , I don’t know you personally ,but my advice to you is , stay out of politics .
you wish.
sorry Bernews, I can’t resist name calling….you’re an IDIOT, lets hope you never enter politics!
Coffee, you seem actively operating as part of the PLP. Why do you advise him to stay out of politics?
Andrew, I don’t know you personally but I would stay in Politics. You add strength and wisdom to the OBA. Don’t worry about coffee, he’s afraid of to see milk in his coffee.