The Warwick West area is a racially mixed, economically diverse constituency that juxtaposes neighbourhoods of richer property owners with several that are largely working class.

The constituency, one of five new districts in to be named after the parish, runs across the Island's width, and includes the areas of Burnt House Hill, Tamarind Vale and the South Shore, traditionally known as areas which lean towards United Bermuda Party (UBP), as well as the more left-wing neighbourhoods around Camp Hill and Stadium Lane.

Added to this are pockets of more well-off, predominantly black largely middle-class voters around the areas of Spice Hill Road, Pearman's Hill and along Sun Valley Road.

It all means that the constituency, to be battled over by Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) vice-president Chris Furbert for the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) and UBP Senator Neville Darrell, can be considered a marginal seat.

However, the inclusion of the Riddell's Bay area might tip the balance in favour of the Opposition.

The new district includes the westernmost portion of the old dual-seat Warwick West constituency, which was in the hands of the UBP until 1993, when former premier Sir John Sharpe was defeated by now Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown.

Split between MPs Dr. Brown and UBP Cabinet Minister Quinton Edness until 1998, the constituency went solidly over to the PLP after Elvin James beat Mr. Edness by more than 200 votes.

The district, with 1093 voters, has one of the higher concentrations of senior residents in Bermuda, and addressing their needs has become a campaign focus for both parties..

Sen. Darrell, who has been canvassing the area since February, said: "The issues of housing and healthcare are things we have to address. These are not just political issues that we are bandying about. It is a situation of such social magnitude that I think most western civilisations will be judged on how they respond to it."

Crime figures highly in the minds of residents such as Barbara Finsness, who said the Burnt House Hill area had seen an increasing amount of criminal activity and vandalism over the years.

She added: "The Police are not really on top of things. There is a thin veneer of law and order and underneath there is anarchy. I think the crime used to be concentrated further east along Middle Road but it has spread in the last ten years."

She suggested more foreign police be brought in to Bermuda, who would not only fill the manpower shortage but also would be "more objective" in dealing with crimes because of their lack of Island ties.

Parochial concerns of residents in the area centre on transportation, and there are concerns that buses do not run along South Shore Road late enough or with enough frequency, leaving people who travel home late to walk to their homes from the bus stops on Middle Road.

One suggestion was for a shuttle bus to be instituted from Middle Road to Spice Hill Road, in order to give residents, especially the more elderly ones, a break from climbing Camp Hill once they get off the bus.

Another concern was that there should be effective lighting throughout the area, particularly along Tribe Road Number Six.