Pembroke East - constituency 15 - ranges from Band Room Lane down North Shore to the Incinerator and almost all of Palmetto Road. A middle-income area, it has historically been known as a Progressive Labour Party stronghold.

This election will pit PLP stalwart and former Bermuda Industrial Union president Ottiwell Simmons against the United Bermuda Party's Walter Cross.

Among the issues highlighted by candidates are crime, drugs, affordable housing and street lights.

Mr. Simmons picked out street problems, crime and drugs as among the most pressing issues.

“Since the district is very densely populated with a lot of congestion it is famous for its little nooks and alleys and constituents are demanding that the roads be better paved,” Mr. Simmons said.

“Because of the density speeding traffic is extensive and a call for speed bumps and signs such as ‘children at play' are needed and it is not an unwarranted plea,” Mr. Simmons added.

Drugs have also come to Mr. Simmons' attention. He believed that if things were to change it would be the drug dealers and those who buy the drugs who needed to stop their activities.

“This area is too drug infested and, one, we don't want it to be taking place and two, we want to ask the people who are in the drug business to get out of it and get good jobs.

“Those who are purchasing the drugs are just as much in the wrong. They can do it peacefully and we'd be very thankful,” Mr. Simmons said.

Mr. Simmons has worked in the area for several years and he said he has had good support throughout the constituency.

Mr. Cross said people were very familiar with him in the area but that it was hard to gauge how he would do.

The key issues to crop up while canvassing were problems with the youth, affordable housing, as well as much-needed streetlights and roads in need of speed bumps.

“There also has to be more that we can do for young people,” Mr. Cross said. “Many young people have spoken to me about maybe having a youth centre.

“Young people are also having problems finding affordable rent and there is also a need for affordable housing for single parents.

“It is proven that there are other, more affordable ways for homes to be built on the Island. In Prospect they built modular homes and they can work and they are fairly cheap to build,” Mr. Cross said.

Affordable housing and the young people of Bermuda were Mr. Cross's “high priority issues”. But he also believed that crime Island-wide needed to be tackled.

“Crime is an Island problem and the community needs to work together in order to help it get better,” Mr. Cross said.

Glebe Road resident Michelle Trott said she had not seen any candidates around her area.

“I don't know if they have just started coming around or they missed me but I haven't seen anyone walking up and down the road here.”

Ms Trott, who has grown up in the area all her life, said that she was concerned about the young people in the area.

“I'm a very outspoken person and I will voice my concern and the areas where young people are hanging out I wish they would clean up,” Ms Trott said.

“There needs to be a place where young people can get out and have something to do like play pool or what not,” she added.

“I won't know who to vote for because I need to to see my candidates and I want to talk to them and find out what they're handing out,” Ms Trott said.