Bermudians need “men and women of integrity, thoughtful and strategic leaders, prayerful people, visionaries and out-of-the-box thinkers” to guide them through these tough times, according to the PLP’s latest election candidate.Linda Merritt delivered her assessment of the ideal qualities for an MP after she was unveiled at Alaska Hall yesterday as the ruling party’s candidate for Smith’s South.Premier Paula Cox described Ms Merritt, chairwoman of Bermuda Health Council, as having given “stellar public service” and being “ready, willing and able to continue public service under our banner”.Ms Cox added: “As we put forward our team to better serve Bermuda’s interest and help steer us through the way forward, Ms Merritt will add her blend of experience and expertise.“She certainly is ably suited to help us achieve our objectives and certainly our candidates appreciate and understand that public service is an honour and calls for serious and dedicated commitment.”Ms Merritt, 62, of St George’s, said: “I ask you today to identify with me some of the characteristics of a qualified candidate in today’s challenging environment. It is my opinion the person must be considered an optimist, a person of integrity, a listener, and innovative.”Ms Merritt said she had all those attributes and would be an “accessible, transparent” MP.“The primary benefit for the residents of constituency eight to vote for me lies in the knowledge that you will now have a meaningful voice in government; a person who will be diligent and sincere in raising your concerns to the party.”Asked about her links to Smith’s South, Ms Merritt said she went to school with some constituents and had built up a good relationship with PLP constituency chairman Shawn Outerbridge.“I believe from what I have heard from a sampling of people that we do have some very common issues,” she said. “One resident said to me that what we really want is a good government and with good candidates. If that’s the interest then we are on our way.”Ms Merritt describes herself as an entrepreneur, emotional intelligence coach and business leadership coach.She graduated from university in the US and was managing director for a Missouri-based insurance company listed on the Fortune 1000, before returning to Bermuda to live in 2001.She has served as vice chairman of PRIDE Bermuda and was secretary general of the Progressive Labour Party for seven years. Ms Merritt represented the PLP in 2007 when she lost to the UBP’s John Barritt in Devonshire South Central. Ms Merritt won 122 votes compared to 722 for Mr Barritt.Smith’s South is currently represented in Parliament by the OBA’s Cole Simons, Shadow Government Estates and Information Minister.He was elected to the seat as a UBP MP, beating the PLP’s Jane Correia in 2007 by 673 votes to 243.Useful websites: www.plp.bm, www.oba.bm.