Leader of the House and Party Whip, Shadow Minister for Legislative Reform & Justice (with responsibility for Attorney General)

Constituency: 12 - Devonshire South Central

Email: jbarritt@ubp.bm

Work Telephone: 294-3630

Home Telephone: 236-0851

Polling Station: Horticultural Hall, Botanical Gardens

John has been a Member of Parliament since 1993 when he was first elected MP for Devonshire South. He has served in the Cabinet, having held the portfolios of Telecommunications & Information, Youth Sports Recreation & Parks, and Legislative Affairs. He currently serves as House Leader and Party Whip for the Opposition United Bermuda Party. He is also the Shadow Minister for Legislative Reform and Justice and in that capacity continues to champion legal and parliamentary reform as he fights to bring about a better system of governance for Bermuda.

John is proud of the fact that he has so far managed to squeeze three careers into his lifetime. He was first a journalist who worked for The Royal Gazette and The Bermuda Sun - for which he was editor for four years - and then ZBM TV and Radio which included a stint as a radio talk show host. At age 30, John went back to law school in Canada and qualified as an attorney in 1986. He first practised law with Appleby Spurling & Kempe where he rose to be partner for 12 years until his retirement from the firm in 2004. He now works as a consultant attorney with Mello Jones & Martin.

John is a member of the Bermuda Bar Association. He has served as a member on the Christ Church Vestry and the St. John's Church Vestry and remains an active member of Christ Church in Devonshire. His community involvement includes service and membership in the Bermuda Junior Golf Association, the Bermuda Debate Society and the Bermuda National Trust.

John says that the best decision he ever made was to marry Sharon. They have been together for over 35 years and are proud parents to three children, a daughter, Rachael, her husband, Kevin, and a son, Justin.

Did you know...

John loves most sports, but he admits that today he actually watches more than he plays. He enjoys playing golf, and is also a keen fan of local cricket and soccer, as well as baseball and ice hockey. In his day, he played soccer and cricket for a time with Young Men's Social Club. John also loves to write and gives vent to his creative skills in a weekly column in the Mid-Ocean News entitled "View From the Hill", an offbeat but insightful look at what goes on each week in the House of Assembly.

A Plan for Devonshire South Central

* Preserve, protect and enhance the Botanical Gardens and surrounding areas for all Bermudians.

* Preserve, protect and enhance Bermuda's remaining tracts of arable land and promote the development of an agricultural policy that assists and encourages Bermuda's few remaining farmers.

* Continue to push for more visible and active community policing.

* Develop policies and programmes to assist seniors, particularly those in need, specifically with respect to pensions and health care.

* Enhance and repair our roads and sidewalks where necessary and possible to make walking and cycling safer and more enjoyable.

* Provide responsive and effective representation on matters and issues of concern to constituents.