Graeme Outerbridge, 53, is running in his hometown in his last stand for the National Liberal Party (NLP) - the long-time community activist has said that if he is unsuccessful he will not run for public office again.

A freelance photographer, Mr. Outerbridge practises karate and is an active member of Somerset Cricket Club.

He believes that a key issue in District 34 is safety and security.

Good neighbourliness is another concern, he added.

“If you choose to scramble in a park illegally you are certainly going to undermine its use for other park users,” he said. “Members of the community are going to have to be a lot more mindful of the harm they create for others when they act in a selfish manner without regard for a neighbour.”

Somerset's high-density neighbourhoods make it a particularly pressing issue.

“While somebody is trying to relax, someone is playing with high-powered miniature boats.”

One of his solutions is the strengthening of parish councils with a system of parish sheriffs and deputies who live in the communities and have the power to issue tickets.

“Or parish councils could work with the Police community beat programme to appoint sheriffs and deputies on the parish councils. The parish councils could also adjudicate quarrels between neighbours rather than resorting to court. If someone is parking in a handicapped area the sheriff could handle that.”

If elected, Mr. Outerbridge promises to try and establish joint select committees to address perennial problems such as youth violence, drug dealing and gangs.

“We need to come up with a plan on how we are going to deal with it and get our kids back, that's not a PLP problem or a UBP problem - that's a Bermudian problem.”

The environmentalist would like to see Daniel's Head transformed into an environmental park. Morgan's Point could become “Bermuda's best national park”.

@EDITRULE:

Ed Bailey, 54, is the man The Royal Gazette understands the United Bermuda Party (UBP) has picked to run against Walter Lister in District 34.

He runs his own law practice and is well known in the cricket world having served as president of the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control and sat as chairman of ICC, cricket's international governing body, for close to five years.

His campaign focus is likely to be crime. Mr. Bailey started his professional career in the Police Service and rose to the rank of inspector and is a former head of the narcotics division.

After 15 years with the Police he became a lawyer and has been an acting magistrate on numerous occasions.

He was MP for Sandys North for the UBP from 1985 until 1989 after out-polling now Education Minister Paula Cox.

As with all the Sandys candidates, Mr. Bailey is from Sandys but has the added distinction of being the first member of Sandys Secondary School and West End Primary to become a lawyer.

In addition to his law practice he runs a clothing business, Bailey's Enterprises, across from West End school, a well-known community store.

He is married with one adult son who lives and works at a Maryland vocational agency.

He is considered a moderate but with conservative leanings. Every Sunday he can be found attending service at St. James Church.

Efforts to contact PLPcandidate Walter Lister were unsuccessful