LAWYER Tim Marshall is to run as an Independent candidate in Sandys South at the next General Election.Mr.
LAWYER Tim Marshall is to run as an Independent candidate in Sandys South at the next General Election.Mr. Marshall made the announcement yesterday, insisting that the two-party system now in place has polarised the island with voters casting their ballots based on race rather than values.
“I believe that party politics in Bermuda today has done more harm than good and has served only to divide us as a people,” he said.
“What is needed is for each of us to recognise that our strength and our prosperity is achieved when we all stand together as Bermudians. ‘Coming together’ is what my candidacy is all about (and) I believe the vision I have is shared by most Bermudians.
“Whether intentionally, or as a result of their respective histories, the PLP (Progressive Labour Party) and the UBP (United Bermuda Party) have not brought Bermudians together, but have instead created a polarised and disillusioned country.
“The quest for equal opportunity, social justice and reconciliation has been distorted into an ‘us against them’ struggle. The unfortunate result is a society increasingly divided along race and party lines.
“I think most Bermudians are tired of living like this and want, more than ever, for Members of Parliament to grab hold of their moral compasses and start encouraging unity and collective purpose.”
Mr. Marshall will face off against UBP candidate Alvin Wilson. The PLP has yet to name its candidate for Constituency 33.
A partner with the law firm Marshall Diel and Myers, Mr. Marshall admitted his political experience to date is limited to canvassing for former National Liberal Party (NLP) MP Walter Brangman. Asked why he would bother to throw his hat into the political ring now, Mr. Marshall responded: “Why not now? This is the time for Bermudians who really care about this island to take a stand. I believe that Bermuda’s future is worth fighting for.”
The lawyer confessed he is yet to start canvassing and expressed little concern in running in what is considered to be a PLP ‘safe seat’.
“My family and I have always made our home in Somerset and where I live is where I hope to be elected. I (am aware) I have a lot of work ahead of me.
“I have much to do before the election, working on what I believe is the right course for Sandys South. I hope the (voters) will listen to my message.
“I think it’s a mistake to believe any area is a stronghold of any particular party because it has been returned over a period of time. It doesn’t mean that will happen at the next election.
“I offer something to which they can either say, ‘Yes I believe’ and hopefully vote for me, or equally, they might say, ‘I don’t share those same hopes’.”
Although running as an Independent, Mr. Marshall (pictured)<\p>said he felt his presence in Parliament could make a difference.
He described his potential value through a quote by former United States Attorney General the late Robert Kennedy: “His view of life was that one individual can create a ripple when a person decides to act in the public good and that ripple can create a wave — it’s what you have to say, whether you’re trying to improve human conditions.
“I believe I can start as an individual, and build from that . . . I don’t think Bermudians will any longer tolerate a spiteful group of parliamentarians.”
His vision for Bermuda, Mr. Marshall said, includes a range of issues he feels are shared by most Bermudians — the need for an open and accountable Government, quality public education, improved health care, active policing and the creation of a national park at Morgan’s Point.
And he said he would also support a green initiative, which would incorporate solar and wind energy systems into homes, phase out incandescent light bulbs, introduce fuel efficient vehicles into the Government fleet and would “make preservation and enhancement of our natural environment our number one planning consideration”.
“I hope the voters are receptive to my ideas. I believe that Bermuda is at a crossroads and while it would have been far easier for me to stay out of the turbulent waters of politics, I feel compelled to try and make a positive difference for Sandys South and the people of Bermuda just as I did when free speech was at risk in the 1998 election.
“In my view, this election, above all others, is about what kind of society we want to live in. I am optimistic and believe that if we all come together and work for the common good, a just and fair society is within reach.”
