Former United Bermuda Party MP Jamahl Simmons was confirmed today as the man who will replace the Premier's Chief of Staff Wayne Caines who is leaving at the end of the month to take up an undisclosed post in the private sector.

Mr. Simmons will become 'executive aide to the Premier' on the same $102,000-a-year salary which had been attached to the Chief of Staff post which has now been abolished.

At a press conference today Premier Ewart Brown said Mr. Simmons would report to him about Cabinet projects and liaise with Ministers but he will not be in charge of staff while the Press Secretary will now report directly to the Premier.

Elected for the United Bermuda Party in a 2002 by-election, after being a member of both the Progressive Labour Party and the National Liberal Party, Mr. Simmons rose in prominence and was a vocal spokesman on the issue of economic empowerment.

But he fell out with the UBP party hierarchy after claiming racists in his Pembroke West branch were out to oust him.

Mr. Simmons quit to become an Independent before completing his political journey by rejoining the PLP in a crowd-pleasing spectacle at a summer rally.

* See the full story in tomorrow's Royal Gazette.