he youngest MP in the House of Assembly is considering quitting politics after the next election.

Jamahl Simmons, 35, told : "When I first got involved in politics I always believed you should have a point where you stop and re-assess. I had a self-imposed term limit of two general elections and my second one is coming up. At that point it's time to reassess if I would like to continue. Growing up in politics, I've seen a lot of people who've gone on too long. You have to know when to walk away. You don't want the life of politics to be all-consuming."

Mr. Simmons's father, Lionel, was a PLP MP. He first hit the campaign trail at the age of just 12 working as a volunteer on his father's successful bid to be re-elected in Sandys North in 1983. He said that the birth of his son Nasir in 2000 inspired him to stand for political office having made him think more deeply about what Bermuda would have to offer future generations. He was elected as the UBP MP for Pembroke West in 2002 following the retirement of Gary Pitman and re-elected in the General Election of July 2003.

"My father instilled in me that it's not about being on TV but representing and serving the people. Being in a position to be able to help people is one of the most rewarding aspects of this job," he said. But he added: "What I have witnessed is that at a certain point it becomes more about the politics than the people. If you worry more about your pension or your pay increase then perhaps it's time to go."

Yet, despite wryly admitting that he is a member of "probably one of the most despised professions in Bermuda," he denied that he had become jaded or disillusioned. Instead, he cited personal circumstances that have caused his life outside politics to be tough recently as one reason why he plans to re-assess his role. In September 2003 he lost his St George's home in Hurricane Fabian, and it took 18 months to rebuild. The hurricane also claimed the life of his wife Sherri's former husband Stephen Symons ? father of Mr. Simmons' 11-year-old stepson Stephen. A year ago, his six-year-old son Nasir was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which which caused him a lot of pain. Fortunately, Nasir appears to have grown out of the condition and is able to run around again. However, Mr. Simmons admits that these experiences have distracted him from his political career and it is only in the last nine months that he has been able to focus properly. He has also claimed to have been denied employment opportunities due to political discrimination (see Story on Page 1) and said his possible exit from politics is partly motivated by a desire to get back into a career.

"There's a life still outside there and you have to pick a time to go," he said, explaining that the factors he will consider besides his own personal feelings are the wishes of his family and feedback from constituents and the party. He stressed that the decision would not be based on whether the UBP wins the next election.

"I have always felt this is not a lifetime gig. It's not all you are and all you do. I have two sons. At the end of the next term if I'm re-elected my youngest will be a teenager," he said.

Mr. Simmons was involved in politics throughout his young adult life. He served in both the PLP and the NLP before he joined the UBP in 2001 ? a fact which caused something of a stir at the time.

He remains proud of being the youngest member of the House, and feels it is time for more young people to join him.

"One of the biggest things that does a disservice to Bermuda is that there aren't more young people getting involved in politics. I have to give credit to my parents' generation for all they've done but my generation has not stepped up to the bat and brought their viewpoints forward. What happens is you are getting a disconnect because you have people talking about things that happened to them 50 years ago that really have no relevance to today," he said.

e hopes that young people will not be put off politics by his possible plan to stand down, but rather view it as an opportunity for them. However, apart from believing politicians to be held in low regard by most people on the Island, he is also pragmatic about the reasons why there are not more young MPs.

"For young people, you have to ask whether on a Friday you would rather be listening to boring dusty speeches in Parliament or out having cocktails!" he quipped.

He also questioned how productive it is to have Parliament sitting right through the night as it does on occasion. "That's a big deterrent. How productive could you be sitting up from 9 o'clock one morning until 4 o'clock the next morning? It almost seems like ego sometimes," he said.

And he feels that both parties have been guilty of ignoring good policy ideas simply because they stem from the opposite side of the house. He favours closer working together through committees and is adamant that both Government and Opposition could do a better job of keeping the electorate informed about what they are doing, and making politics more accessible.

"Someone told me once that 'politics is showbusiness for ugly people.' If we are not informative and don't provide some form of entertainment the public become jaded and it's just 'those people up there fighting each other,'" he said. "In terms of interaction I tell most people that Parliament is like professional wrestling. You go out there and put in a performance and then shake hands and laugh about it. Most people don't realise that we don't hate each other but I think we have not done enough to elevate it to a higher level."

espite his misgivings about the current state of politics, his role as Shadow Minister for Race Relations and Economic Empowerment is one he relishes.

"What I'm concerned about is a perception among a growing and vocal minority that there's no place for them in Bermuda whether it's because they didn't get a proper education, or have made poor life choices, or have a bad attitude or whether it's institutional racism. There are a number of factors that have got a section of our community excluded from the prosperity of Bermuda. For the average Bermudian, when they hear a new international business has been incorporated in Bermuda it doesn't mean any jobs for them. There's a growing disconnect. We don't have an economy that seems to be focused on the average person and you see it in housing and the breakdown of the family," he said.

He believes this should be addressed by ensuring that young people have the type of skills needed to participate in the economy .

One answer he said, rests with working with the less mainstream skills that youngsters have to offer: "Whether it's musicians or artists or entertainers...part of the solution is we've got to get the Bermudian flavour back into tourism. That will allow opportunities for them," he said.

Other important areas, he believes, are taking down barriers to opportunity through educating youngsters about stocks and bonds and assisting single mothers through college ? plans he continues to push for.

"I really love politics and really enjoy it," he insisted, despite considering his long-term future in the political arena. "To know that people want you to serve them is really humbling. You remember that you are not here for yourself but the people who put you there."