The One Bermuda Alliance candidate for Sandys North has pledged not to be a silent MP if elected and said he was poised to remedy challenges faced in the constituency.

Carl Neblett will make a claim for the seat vacated by the resignation last week of Kathy Lynn Simmons, who also stepped down as Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Reform.

The former police officer, who was rolled out as an approved candidate by the OBA a year ago, said issues in the constituency were not isolated but applied to the whole island, and that residents deserved to know what was being done on their behalf.

Mr Neblett, who lived in Sandys North for several years before he moved to Paget, said matters raised with him during canvassing included a lack of roads maintenance and a defunct resort.

He told The Royal Gazette: “We have to be at the forefront of dealing with issues like this and we need to let the public know what is going on.

“One of the problems that exists with the incumbent is they tend to be very selective in what they are going to let the public know.

“No, these are burning issues, deal with them. You have ministers who refuse to come out and say what is ailing the community at large and therein lies a problem. Transparency is a major concern with this government.

“I want the constituents in Sandys Parish and the entire island to know that I am not going to be a silent MP.”

Mr Neblett was born in Trinidad & Tobago, raised in Jamaica and finished his schooling in Barbados. In 1988, he moved to Bermuda and served for 29 years in the Bermuda Police Service before retiring six years ago to set up a security services company.

He said: “One of the very prominent constituents in the area revealed to me that West Side Road is used by our taxis as a major destination for its view from that location.”

Mr Neblett claimed that while the spot was a tourist attraction, the road had not been “fixed, cleaned or serviced for over 40 years”.

He added: “That is beyond ridiculous. There is overgrowth and complete deterioration of the tarmac up to where it ends by Daniel's Head.

“We have a hotel, 9 Beaches, that has been sitting there dormant. I know one of the big issues it faced was the farm that existed next door and the smell was the biggest issue.

“I am sure if the [MP] of that constituency had made herself known and come out in support of everyone concerned, they could have come to some mutual decision in how to deal with maintaining it.

“This is a priority for me because it is about creating employment and people are hurting.”

Jarion Richardson, the Opposition leader, earlier claimed that Ms Simmons had failed to address issues in her constituency, including the proposed closure of West End Primary School, which was later reversed after a community-led campaign.

Mr Neblett said the Progressive Labour Party was doing the right thing in phasing out middle schools — introduced in 1996 by the United Bermuda Party — but that the move came too late.

He added: “The middle-school system was a failed system that was brought in from another jurisdiction. Why fix what was not broken?”

Mr Neblett said of Sandys North: "It is a predominant PLP stronghold but there are individuals I am aware of who are extremely tired of what is happening, not only in the constituency but across the island.

"There may be swing votes, then the individuals who are undecided may come on board. The OBA supporters are there and we need to home in on them to make sure that we maintain their vote and our credibility.

“You look at what the OBA did in their tenure, even though it was short. I am certain that once we get back into power, we will show this community at large what we are capable of doing.

“We do have another party that is out there, the Free Democratic Movement. Reading between the lines, there is a possibility that some votes may be taken away from both sides, but the OBA is in an extremely strong position.

“I am certain we are in a position to be the government.”

Asked whether the people are ready to take back the OBA, Mr Neblett said: “That is a very good question. There are mixed feelings on either side, but the OBA today is not the OBA of yesterday.

“There are new faces, people like myself, who have stepped forward to represent the people out there to deal with the burning issues that are affecting this country.

“If we can garner their trust, we will get the job done.

“Communication is key. Where transparency is concerned, we need to let the population know what is going on.”

The candidate said he was ready to serve not only as an MP but in the shadow cabinet and, if the party rises to power, the Cabinet.

He added: “That is to be determined by the leader of the party. I know where I would love to be placed because of my strengths — national security — but at the same time I am sure that if I have to go into any other areas, I will excel in those areas.”

Asked for comment, the PLP — under which Ms Simmons was an MP — yesterday listed a number of moves made by the OBA when it was in government that the PLP said “negatively impacted the lives of Bermudians”.

They included the public-private partnership with a non-Bermudian company to develop the airport and the Morgan’s Point guarantee that the PLP said “cost the people of Bermuda over $200 million of wasted tax dollars”.

The PLP also listed the “slashing” of funding for scholarships, bursaries and awards, “overseeing an economy that saw jobs for non-Bermudians flourish while Bermudian jobs disappeared” and attempts to “open the immigration floodgates in a manner that would have further marginalised born Bermudians in our own country”.

It asked of Mr Neblett: “With his claim that he will not be a silent MP, will he stand with the people of Constituency 36 against the reckless, irresponsible, anti-Bermudian approach of his party?

“Is he willing to fully stand by the platform and decisions of the One Bermuda Alliance, both past and present?”

The PLP added: “We know that any OBA candidate can pledge to be vocal but that voice will not be working for Bermudians.

Responding to queries about some of Mr Neblett’s comments, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Works said: “Over the past three years, the maintenance budget has been focused on roads with higher traffic volumes and those impacted by utility work, such as Belco trenching.

“This approach ensures that resources are used effectively to serve the broader community.

“The Government has publicly acknowledged that more resources will need to be allocated to improve the state of our roads across the Island, following decades of a lack of funding from successive governments.

“This year's Budget sees a significant increase in capital spending, which will go some way in addressing infrastructure improvements.

“The Ministry of Public Works will continue prioritising repairs based on traffic volumes and public use and appreciate the public's understanding of the constraints.”

Under the Bermuda Constitution Order 1968, the vacating of a seat by an MP for any reason other than the dissolution of the legislature would trigger a by-election within two months.

The exception is if the legislature was dissolved sooner than that date, which occurs when a General Election is called.

The PLP said on Friday that its candidate for the constituency would be announced “in due course”. The FDM declined to comment at this time on whether it planned to field anyone for the seat if a by-election was called.

• Tomorrow: Carl Neblett on police resources

• UPDATE: this story has been updated to include a comment in response from the public works ministry