Former United Bermuda Party MP Jamahl Simmons was confirmed yesterday as the man who will replace the Premier's Chief of Staff Wayne Caines, who is leaving for a private sector job.

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 news conference, Premier Ewart Brown said Mr. Simmons, who starts next month, would report to him about Cabinet projects but he will not be in charge of staff while the Press Secretary will now report directly to the Premier.

He said Mr. Simmons would assist Ministers in getting Cabinet Office responses and would also be involved in security matters.

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 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 trying 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 rally last summer.

Probed if the position was payback, Dr. Brown said: "I have no doubt that people in the political arena should be rewarded for work done but we would never have enough places in Cabinet for the people who helped the Progressive Labour Party win the election. It was literally hundreds if not thousands.

"There is no direct linkage but good performance is good performance — and it's appreciated."

Mr. Simmons has been accused of bandwagon jumping by PLP members who stayed loyal, but Dr. Brown said: "The good news about that is this is not a party position, it's a Cabinet Office position."

Mr. Simmons said he had not been owed by the Premier or the PLP but had been grateful the party had reached out to him when he was down and out.

"I owe the Premier and the party a lot more than I feel they owe me."

Of his new role, he said: "When you move from politics to positions such as this you move from people saying 'well said' to people saying 'well done'. You might hear less of my mouth but more of my actions."

Sen. Caines, a lawyer, was coy about what post he is going to but he confirmed he will continue in the Senate and as the Junior Minister of Tourism, Transport and Sport.

He said: "I have chosen to pursue options in the private sector. This is part of the natural evolution that I must make in order to go to the next level of leadership in our beloved Country."

Dr. Brown praised Sen. Caines for his role in organising last year's visit to Washington and getting maximum impact on Capitol Hill while he said Sen. Caines had been the brains behind the brown bag lunches on Cabinet Office lawn where the public mingled with the Premier.

"I expect great things of him and also Mr. Simmons," he said.