Shadow Minister for the Environment

Constituency: 8 - Smith's South

Email: csimons@ubp.bm

Work Telephone: 292-4217

Home Telephone: 299-6045

Cole Simons is a firm believer that Bermudians deserve a government they can trust.

“Bermudians want efficient, responsible governance and politicians they can trust… people who have integrity,” says the veteran MP.

“They want a fiscally prudent government that they can rely on do the right thing for current and future generations.”

Cole, the United Bermuda Party’s Shadow Minister for the Environment, feels Bermuda is at a crossroads and must balance current economic and social needs with the interests of future generations.

“That is what we mean by sustainable development,” he says. “Bermuda is a gem, and we need to ensure that we preserve its natural beauty, open spaces and wildlife for future generations to enjoy. At the same time, we must consider our housing and other needs – both present and future. We need a blueprint like the Bermuda Development Plan, which has been promised by the PLP but has been overdue since 2002.”

Cole attended Ord Road and Purvis primary schools and Sandys Secondary before going overseas to attend Albert College in Canada. He studied business administration at Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto, and took courses with the University of Maryland after returning to Bermuda.

He began his business career as a property/casualty underwriter with two reinsurance companies in Bermuda before switching his focus to banking in 1988. Today, he is the Bank of Bermuda’s Director of Private Banking.

Cole sits on the Board of Directors of the National Dance Foundation, is an Associate of the British Institute of Directors, and is a Director and Trustee of the Peter Lietner Scholarship Fund, a former director of the Bermuda Equestrian Federation and the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

He and his wife, Rochelle, have two young children, Morgan and Erin.

Did you know...

Cole’s dual career focus in private banking and reinsurance underwriting provides him with a unique perspective on Bermuda’s competitiveness as a financial jurisdiction. On a personal note, Cole has two horses, five geese and two dogs.

A Plan for Smith’s South

* Providing a world-class education for all Bermudians so that everyone can make a positive contribution to their family, workplace and community.

* Ensuring that we leave our children a Bermuda where the water, air and land are unspoiled, where the island’s beauty is unblemished and where sustainable growth is our priority.

* Working with Bermuda Police Service to increase public safety in Smith’s South and throughout the island.

* Improving pedestrian safety by building sidewalks on Harrington Sound Road.

* Providing improved lighting and traffic control on Lolly’s Well Road and Town Hill Road

* Enhancing Bermuda’s reputation as a blue-chip jurisdiction for the conduct of international business by continuing to introduce new products and services