Michael Weeks isn't expected to have much trouble winning the by-election tomorrow — but families in Pembroke East Central made sure it wasn't always an easy ride as he canvassed their homes.

Mr. Weeks has maintained he's taking nothing for granted since being chosen ahead of a host of high-profile contenders to run for the Progressive Labour Party in former Health Minister Nelson Bascome's old patch.

There are some who argue Mr. Weeks might as well take everything for granted because it doesn't matter who the PLP fields in Constituency 16, or how much they canvass: they will still win.

But as The Royal Gazette joined Mr. Weeks meeting residents in Perimeter Lane, it quickly became clear: ultimate PLP stronghold or not, people were ready and willing to put their candidate on the spot.

One young man, a carpenter, complained he was unable to get a job, while all the Government work was being swallowed up by Premier Ewart Brown supporting MP Zane DeSilva.

"What can you do to benefit me?" asked the carpenter.

Mr. Weeks replied: "My son is going through the same thing. I'm going to stand up and make myself heard. I'm here because of my sons so you can believe it or not.

"It's more than being a part of the PLP. I have been in the community all my life. I have always been a social worker, helping people get jobs. I'm a soldier, I'm out there helping people."

The carpenter promptly shook Mr. Weeks by the hand and accepted his offer to send him an e-mail so that he can follow up his pledge.

Asked by this newspaper how he could help that man back into employment, Mr. Weeks said his plan for a community action team would be the catalyst to address a host of such issues.

"If we can come together as a community, we can talk. You see what the issues are," he said.

"Then we can help him with a kind word in someone's ear, get his resume out there — there are ways we can do it."

He added that more people need to be made aware of free education at Bermuda College which can help turn their lives around.

"Bermuda Government has done a major move, and people need to take advantage of it," he said.

In a constituency so heavily dominated by the PLP, Mr. Weeks' task wasn't so much to convince people which way to vote — it was to get them to the polling station full stop.

"Are you going to come out and vote?" Mr. Weeks would ask. Most replied yes, but some did so with all the eagerness of a teenager agreeing to mow his parents' lawn when there's a really good show on the television.

Mr. Weeks said crime, drugs and affordable housing had been key issues raised on his travels. The community action team, he says, will be the first step in tackling most of them.

The evening he was joined by The Royal Gazette, Mr. Weeks was accompanied by wife Cindy Weeks, PLP supporting Perimeter Lane resident Gina Trott and Works and Engineering Minister Derrick Burgess.

The candidate had pledged to hit every house in the constituency in his campaign, and his backing from the party is such that some people had already been greeted by the canvassing team before.

Seasoned canvasser Mr. Burgess explained the importance of getting out into the constituency.

"You have to go to the people. That's the way I did it," he said. "You have to find out the concerns of everyone. That's your sounding board."