Armstrong of the NLP and Independent Gershwin Smith -- are vying on Thursday for the Devonshire North seat left vacant by former Opposition leader the late Frederick Wade. Royal Gazette reporter John Burchall managed to catch up with two of the candidates while they made their rounds. The PLP's Paula Cox declined to participate.

* * * Sunday's steady downpour was enough to cancel the Bank of Bermuda triathlon and all but one first division soccer game, but it had little effect on the desire of United Bermuda party hopeful Stewart Greenslade.

Huddled under a large navy blue umbrella and dressed in a trenchcoat and sneakers, Mr. Greenslade and Sports Minister Tim Smith ambled from house to house in the constituency of Devonshire North.

Armed with a black satchel, a note pad, a set of flyers and brief biographies, Messrs. Smith and Greenslade set off along Friswell's Road.

Mr. Greenslade's message was simple and delivered with a neighbourly charm at each doorstep. He wants the people to know their vote is important on October 10.

He says he's covered most of the 1,984 voters in the district and the homes on Friswell's Lane, Border Lane, Store Lane, and Robert's Avenue are among the few he has not visited.

After two hours of knocking on doors -- there was only one home that refused to speak to him -- Mr. Greenslade had met with several people.

All but two had a pressing issue they were willing to share.

One woman who lived on Store Lane wanted the sign replaced on the road. There was no sign identifying the road which made it hard to give directions to taxi drivers or friends who wished to visit.

A man whose home was located on the opposite side of the same road was concerned about the way drivers often used the lane as a thoroughfare.

Children also liked to play there.

Mr. Greenslade noted the comments and asked whether the erection of "Children Playing'' signs on either end of the road or speed bumps would allay his fears.

Mr. Greenslade, who is credited with breathing life into a dead UBP Devonshire North branch, knows the race is going to be difficult.

"I think things have gone really well,'' he said afterward. "I certainly can't complain about the reception I have received.

"(Sunday) wasn't a shining example of that, but no one wants anyone who is dripping wet in their house.

"Overall the biggest single complaint that I have heard down there is drugs, bar none. There are a number of little pockets of drug activity in the area which we can do something about.'' Similar concerns he said were expressed about the traffic that 900 school kids at the new senior secondary school at Prospect would add to an already congested area.

But Mr. Greenslade said Government was working on a plan to deal with the increased use and he would share it at a public meeting as soon as it was ready.

"The biggest worry that they had was 900 kids picking up and going at the same time,'' he explained. "And that is not going to happen because there will be staggered start and finish times.'' Said Mr. Greenslade, "No matter what happens on October 10 I will still be going out and visiting people.

"That's why I started way back in January. I wanted to know how they thought and what their concerns were. I believe that is what every candidate and every MP should be doing. They should be talking to the people on a regular basis.'' Last Thursday evening NLP candidate Edwin Armstrong and campaign manager Charles Jeffers traversed many of the same areas.

They began on Border Lane East and ended on Roberts Avenue one hour later.

Traffic, drugs and crime dominated the concerns that homeowners expressed although an often repeated complaint was the lack of contact with their sitting MPs.

"I saw Lois (Browne Evans) and Freddie (Wade) once when they were first in power but never again,'' one Border Lane East resident said.

"I have seen Paula Cox on the television but I am yet to see her around here.'' While others expressed echoed this sentiment on this night as the NLP team touched on constituents' door steps, Mr. Jeffers said the lack of visibility of PLP veterans Mrs. Browne Evans and the late Mr. Wade was a recurring theme throughout the area.

"We found that all over the constituency,'' he said. "Either people told us they had never seen them or only saw them rarely.

"Many people felt their current MPs are taking them for granted.'' Consequently, Mr. Jeffers predicted next Thursday's outcome was far from a forgone conclusion.

"If we win in Devonshire North (the constituents) will be in the unique position of having an entire party dedicated to their needs,'' he added. "Our candidate is committed.

"Having said that the NLP is not the Government so we cannot make the changes. What we can do is be a voice in Parliament by asking the proper questions and bringing forward legislation if necessary.

"It is true that we will need Government or the Opposition to support us but if they turn our legislation down it will be at their peril.'' Mr. Jeffers said the NLP's attraction to the voters was their middle-of-the-road stance compared to either the PLP or UBP.

"We bring to the race a viable alternative,'' he said. "We are a party that stands on the common ground where labour and business meet.

"We will criticise both labour or business and then we will side with either business or labour if we feel the situation demands it.

"We are not tied to either and this allows us to be very objective in what we do. Public perceptions are important.

"The PLP is seen as the black party with the black face supporting labour and the UBP is seen as the white party with maybe a black face that supports business.'' Consequently, he said the hard-core but disaffected PLP or UBP supporter is unlikely to cross the road which makes the NLP a bona fide alternative for those who wanted to send a message to either party.

"We feel we give people the opportunity to express themselves right in the middle. This means the by-election is a good opportunity for the people in Devonshire North to say we will not be ignored or taken for granted any longer.'' Candidate Greenslade Candidate Armstrong