Saltus Summer Magazine 2013 Page 35

S A L T U S M A G A Z I N E

3 5

WHEN YOU

ask most 26-year-olds what the

highlight of their lives has been so far, not many
can say "winning a seat in the House of Assembly."
But that's exactly what happened to Nandi Davis in
last year's general election.

Nandi is currently Bermuda's youngest sitting

Member of Parliament after the game-changing
2012 vote that saw her party, the One Bermuda
Alliance (OBA), emerge as victor. Nandi won her
constituency, St. George's West--where she says
she has big plans for the old town.

"I am working on having the St. George's Golf

Course reopened, starting a fish market in the
town, and working with residents on the creation of
a community garden--all in the hopes of getting
more traffic into St. George's," she explains. "We
also need improved coordination with the Ministry
of Transport to increase direct ferry and bus services
to St. George's from Dockyard. This will ensure
visitors can get to St. George's easily."

In between her duties as MP, she is also mother

to three-year old Shiia--whom she credits as being
one of the main reasons she became involved in
politics in the first place.

"My son is the best thing that happened to my

life," she says. "I don't want him to grow up and not
have opportunities, so I will continue to fight for
equal opportunities for all generations to come.
I got into politics because I wanted to help my
country on a national level. I have been involved in
community service activities around Bermuda for
many years and I wanted to play my part and help."

After leaving Saltus in 2004, Nandi attended

CompuCollege in Halifax, NS, where she earned
a degree in Business and Computer Applications
and a certificate in Supervisory Management.
She graduated with the highest grades for the
year in her course. Afterwards, she went to work
as a cash accountant at International Advisory
Services in 2006, as office manager at Bermuda
Bride in 2008, and as office manager at Equinoxe
in 2010.

As the niece of Progressive Labour Party

stalwart and National Hero, the late Dame Lois
Browne-Evans, Nandi currently works as executive
assistant to the managing director of AMS Ltd., a
fund administration company. She is also enrolled

at Bermuda College and spends evenings working
towards an Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA) designation.

"My accounting career came from my passion for

numbers--math has always been my favourite
subject at any school, but I absolutely loved my
maths class at Saltus," says Nandi, who adds the
hardest part of her job now is balancing work,
political and family commitments. On weekends,
she can be found canvassing her constituents, but
when she's not trouble-shooting community issues
or working to add to her academic credentials, she
spends time with her family.

Nandi is also a serious athlete, and represented

Bermuda at the 1998 Carifta Games in the Bahamas,
in the 800 metres, 400 metres and high jump. She
is committed to the community, volunteering at
organisations like Kathmandu Kids and La Leche
League, and feels it is important for young people
to take a strong interest in politics.

"Politics affects everyone and everything in

everyday life," she says. "I am not saying everyone
should strive to be an MP, but at least always be
aware of politics and how it affects you. Also,
always exercise your right to vote--it's your right!"

--Helen Jardine

The equal opportunist

Nandi
Davis / 2004

`Politics

affects
everyone
and
everything
in
everyday
life'

Nandi Davis: balancing work, politics and family