On 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 that 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, 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 to perform better in government and in the workplace.

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 cofounded in 2013, Bermuda.io, a website that provides access to 20 years of financial information on 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 essential to Bermuda’s progress. I will push to end a brand of politics that keeps us apart. I will look for opportunities for co-operation 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 healthcare system that is affordable and sustainable, providing the care people deserve

• 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 one week to go before the vote next Thursday. If I have not yet met you and you would like to contact me, please call 294-3213 or e-mail asimons@oba.bm.

• Andrew Simons is the One Bermuda Alliance candidate for the February 4 by-election for Devonshire North Central (Constituency 13)