Being sworn in as a Cabinet Minister at Government House last December was a bittersweet moment for Leah Scott.She had helped to make history by being a member of a team of 19 election candidates that succeeded in ending the Progressive Labour Party’s 14-year stint in Government.But overshadowing the moment of glory was the fact that her troubled 25-year-old son was in custody in Florida facing serious charges.Ms Scott had barely begun canvassing her Southampton East Central constituency when she received a call in early March informing her that her only son Tyler Abbott had been arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase.Abbott, a drug addict, had stolen the purse of an 87-year-old woman and was a suspect in several other robberies.Fast forward to December 20 and Ms Scott, watched by the entire media corps, dignitaries and the rest of the Country’s new leaders, was weeping softly on Governor George Fergusson’s shoulder.Her tears flow easily again as she recalls experiencing a “myriad of a bunch of different emotions” at Government House.“They say success is nothing without someone you love to share it with,” she said.“Although I have a lot of friends, and I’ve got my mom and my sisters, my son is my only real blood relative. And so while it was exciting to be a part of history in terms of forming the first One Bermuda Alliance Government, and being one of only two women to be selected to be in Cabinet, it was also very sad because it was a once in a lifetime thing and the person I wanted to be there to share it with me couldn’t be there. So It was just really overwhelming.”Born in 1959 in Tacoma, Washington State, Ms Scott came to Bermuda as a toddler when her pilot father was stationed at the former US base at Kindley Field. She lived on and off Bermuda for years until the mid-1980s when Bermuda became her permanent residence. She gained her Bermuda status in 2007.She recalls a happier, safer Bermuda when she was raising her son.“I wanted to be a part of a change and I’m not the type of person that’s going to sit back and moan and complain and not be able to do something. Change starts with one person, and if I can do something to make a difference in this country to bring about change, that’s what I’m going to do.”But she laments party politics as a divisive system.“When I got involved with the OBA, I actually lost the friendships of some very dear friends of mine — that’s been extremely painful for me,” she said.As Minister without Portfolio, Ms Scott has headed up the ministries of Health, Tourism and Community Development in acting capacities, and is available for special projects as required by the Premier.“I actually call myself Minister of Availability,” she quipped.Last month Abbott was sentenced to 18 years in prison after a plea bargain.“My son has an 18-year sentence. I cannot make his sentence my sentence. And so during this time I have to mobilise myself to help other mothers and other families who are going through similar or the same situations,” she said.“The reality is if I was not a Minister of the OBA, my story probably would not have been made public. And so it has provided me with the opportunity to be available to people. I’m not ashamed or humiliated about my son and his story.“In fact its allowed me to be open and vulnerable.”