While the political climate in Bermuda has been nothing short of thunderous over the past term, there are some issues both parties agree on in St George’s West.

Improving transportation, protecting the vulnerable and realising the potential to build a marina were topics mentioned by both the One Bermuda Alliance’s Nandi Outerbridge and the Progressive Labour Party’s Kim Swan, who will battle for the seat in this election.

With such a closely fought area — in 2012, Ms Outerbridge won it by only four votes out of 928 while running against Renée Ming (366) for the PLP and Kim Swan (214) as an independent — a presence on the doorstep could swing it either way.

Ms Outerbridge said she had been meeting with residents “every day consecutively for the last five to six weeks”, while Mr Swan said he was poised to “bring the promise of real representation directly to the people”.

Parochial issues are at the forefront for both, who listed local transport as an issue of focus.

Mr Swan outlined several failed attempts in the past to have a regular minibus at King’s Square, owing to lack of custom, to run tourists around locally.

“In 2017, there has been a bit more success, but there are still challenges,” he said. “One of the advantages of electing Renée [Ming in St George’s North] and I is that we can work together to find a solution that serves our tourists who arrive by ferry at Penno’s Wharf and want to go to Tobacco Bay; and also locals who may need to pop into town and then back home.”

Ms Outerbridge mentioned transport for isolated Ferry Reach residents: “We are looking at getting the people from Ferry Reach to get to the bus stop without them having to walk too far. We are considering a private bus entity.”

She said she would “look into” the wider issue of transport to St George’s.

Both candidates vowed to address constituents’ concerns for the vulnerable in St George’s, as relayed to them by this newspaper.

Ms Outerbridge, who is Minister for Social Development and Sport, said: “We have the St George’s Community Centre, which is operational, and I can find out its purpose and whether we can implement some social programmes within the centre itself.”

Mr Swan acknowledged the “extended family” that St Georgians consider themselves to be, collectively helping those in need, but added: “We cannot let even one family or one person slip through the cracks. So, although the social programmes have been neglected since 2012, the PLP is the best option to ensure no one is left behind.”

Constituents and candidates seemingly all agree on the signing-off of the new marina, but with Parliament dissolved, it is something that Ms Outerbridge says will have to take priority post-election.

“Approval has been put forward; I am pretty sure we will see some major progress with it going through. It is not my ministry, but we have to let them know that this is a high concern of our constituents, so let’s figure out how to push it through.”

Mr Swan said: “I am on record as being in support of a marina in St George’s. I am in favour of any development of commercial opportunity for St Georgians.”

Both candidates agreed that crime in the area is not a significant issue, but activities such as small-scale robberies and drugs being sold openly need to be addressed, particularly in view of the police station having been closed for some time.

So that leaves the question: what makes you the better candidate?

“I have never wavered in my commitment to St George’s — everything that is down there is a direct result of Kenny [Bascome, the St George’s North MP] and I bringing it back to life again,” Ms Outerbridge said.

Aged 30 and one of Bermuda’s youngest ministers to have served in Cabinet, Ms Outerbridge said: “I am young. My experience is good — I heard you back in 2012 but now I have proven that I can get things done. I will be solution-driven and committed to those solutions.”

Despite having origins in Somerset, Mr Swan considers himself an adopted son of St George’s, and is committed to its betterment.

“I am not only a local boy, St Georgians know me, but I am a local boy who wants to serve them. It’s not glamorous, it’s not poetic, and it is simply that I love St George’s and St Georgians; I will always put them ahead of me.”

Mr Swan attempted to pass a vote of no confidence in the PLP government while leader of the United Bermuda Party in 2009.

Today, he cites the OBA’s “neglect of Bermuda’s social fabric”.

He said: “The PLP made some mistakes. We were not as connected as we ought to be and, by 2012, the people of Bermuda rightfully did what they needed to do for their interests. However, in 2017, the stakes are far higher.”

• Comments are closed on political content from July 4 to 19 to stem the flow of purposefully inflammatory and litigious comments during the General Election cycle. Users who introduce extreme partisan comments into other news content will be banned.