CERTIFICATION

I, David J. O'Connor, certify that:

          1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-KSB of New England
               Bancshares, Inc.;

          2.   Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any
               untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
               fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
               circumstances under which such statements were made, not
               misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
               report;

          3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
               financial information included in this annual report, fairly
               present in all material respects the financial condition, results
               of operations and cash flows of the small business issuer as of,
               and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

          4.   The small business issuer's other certifying officers and I are
               responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls
               and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and
               15d-14) for the small business issuer and we have:

               a.   designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
                    that material information relating to the small business
                    issuer, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
                    known to us by others within those entities, particularly
                    during the period in which this annual report is being
                    prepared;

               b.   evaluated the effectiveness of the small business issuer's
                    disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90
                    days prior to the filing date of this annual report (the
                    "Evaluation Date"); and

               c.   presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
                    effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures
                    based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

          5.   The small business issuer's other certifying officers and I have
               disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the small
               business issuer's auditors and the audit committee of small
               business issuer's board of directors (or persons performing the
               equivalent function):

               a.   all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                    the internal controls which could adversely affect the small
                    business issuer's ability to record process, summarize and
                    report financial data and have identified for the small
                    business issuer's auditors any material weaknesses in
                    internal controls; and

               b.   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                    or other employees who have a significant role in the small
                    business issuer's internal controls; and

          6.   The small business issuer's other certifying officers and I have
               indicated in this annual report whether or not there were
               significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that
               could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the
               date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective
               actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material
               weaknesses.


Date:   June 29, 2004                   /s/ David J. O'Connor
                                        -------------------------------------
                                        David J. O'Connor
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer
                                        (principal executive officer)