Pembroke Central, a constituency won in 2003 by only 75 votes, is filled with residents and business owners who want an MP who will talk to the talk and more importantly walk the walk.

The Royal Gazette hit the streets of Constituency 17 to find out what issues were important to those who live and work there, opinions on the candidates, what residents will base their votes on and whether or not they are happy with the Government.

Pembroke Central stretches from Pitts Bay Road, Berkeley Road, Mount Hill Road, North Shore Road, Crane Lane, Serpentine Road back to Pitts Bay Road and everything in between.

Austin Warner is running for the UBP, Wayne Perinchief for PLP and Harold Darrell is running as an Independent. The first stop was the junction of Mount Hill Road and Overview Hill. Romica Raynor, bending down washing her car, said the main problem for her was affordable housing.

"They need to build some apartments around here," she said. "They could also build a park so that the children can have somewhere to play."

She explained when it came to the candidates, she hadn't seen Mr. Warner or Mr. Perinchief, but had seen Neletha Butterfield, MPof Pembroke West Central. Ms Raynor said the best thing the MPs can do for her is "stop robbing us".

"I'm a single parent and if I apply for financial aid, I can't take my children away because then they will take away the little bit of money I get. They need to make Bermuda affordable."

The single mother added she will be voting because if she doesn't, she can't complain about what is going on and said she will vote for the candidate who is real.

Betty Maybury, also of Mount Hill said the biggest problem in the area is drugs, otherwise than that, it's a quiet neighbourhood.

When asked her opinion on the candidates, Ms Maybury explained she hasn't seen them. "Wayne Perinchief, he don't do nothing. He don't come around until it's time for the election," she said. "Austin Warner, I don't know anything about him."

She said she would like whoever wins to make her constituency a clean environment by fixing the drug situation.

Ms Maybury will be voting by candidate not party because she said she plans to decide based on whichever policy she agrees with. As far as the current Government, she is less than impressed. "I'm not happy with the Government," she said. "Their candidates aren't doing what they are supposed to do."

Edwin Caisey, a resident of Berkeley Road, explained the neighbourhood is "a little rough".

"It's not the safest thing. I don't face it because I have dogs but there were break-ins at the school (Northlands) a lot."

He said the only MP that he'd seen so far is Ms Butterfield even though she isn't his MP. Mr. Caisey explained he plans to vote based on the candidate.

"I like to vote on who I see is going to do a good job. Wayne, I know him from way back. I'll vote PLP," he said.

When asked about the current Government, he said:"It's OK. Happy is when things go better than this."

A small-business owner on St. John's Road, who spoke under the condition on anonymity because of his business, said the Government needs to show more support for small businesses.

"There's not support. Pretty much, you're on your own to sink or swim," he said.

He said he gets frustrated because small businesses are grouped together with large businesses and it isn't fair that Government needs more user-friendly departments that cater to the people.

When asked how he plans to vote, he said: "I base my vote on what I see happening for the people today. Too many people are voicing what happened in the past."

When asked if he was happy with the current Government, he said:"Yes and no because I'm more of a people person than a party person."