All eyes will be watching the constituency of Hamilton West on election day to see if the incumbent, Wayne Furbert can win under the banner of the Progressive Labour Party.The former United Bermuda Party leader who is now the Minister of Tourism is pitted against another former UBP candidate, Donte Hunt who has joined the ranks of the One Bermuda Alliance.Both men won their place in Parliament under the banner of the now defunct UBP.The PLPs victory in 1998 marked the only time Mr Furbert has lost an election in Hamilton West since 1993.Political pundits suggest the tables turned against Mr Furbert when he crossed the floor of the House of Assembly. His opponent believes the move raised the issue of trust or mistrust.But area residents who plan to vote for the OBA candidate refused to comment, while staunch PLP supporters said openly they will vote PLP “all the way”.Traditionally considered a marginal district, Hamilton West has 1,188 registered voters. The new boundaries moved 241 voters out of this constituency to Smith’s North.But Mr Furbert maintains the voters in Hamilton West will remember him for who he is and not the party he once stood for.He admits however, that securing a victory will be a major test; especially with Bermuda’s economy and unemployment topping the list of concerns.This constituency recorded one of the highest rates of unemployment in the 2010 Census with 103 area residents out of work.“It ranked eighth out of 36 constituencies; and then there’s the race factor.Said Mr Furbert: “Based on the polls we know the people in Hamilton West vote a certain way; its just natural and people understand that.“There are people who will vote on party lines as well but overall I think I will get over the hump and people will vote for me because of who I am.“The people in Hamilton Parish who I grew up with know I’m a homeboy.“I grew up on top of Crawl Hill and played marbles in my neighbourhood, my opponent can’t say that because he’s not from here like I am,” he said.As for his change of party allegiance Mr Furbert questioned why there has been no fallout for other leaders of the UBP who crossed over to the OBA.“Yes I was chairman and a former leader of the UBP, so was Dr Grant Gibbons and Michael Dunkley. In fact they both joined the Bermuda Democratic Alliance before joining the OBA,” said Mr Furbert.“I’m in the same position except I went with the PLP and that’s where their biggest problem is. Some people are angry about that, they would have been quite happy if I crossed to the OBA.“And there are PLP members in Hamilton Parish, very few, who are a little disturbed that I became a PLP member .“What disturbs me most is that 90 percent of the white community in Hamilton Parish voted for me last time.“And that same 90 percent will vote against me this time even though I haven’t changed personally,” said Mr Furbert.“That disturbs me, but it also tells me that it was never about me, the individual.“It was always about the party I represented.”He admits that “race will be a big factor” based on the feedback. But as a seasoned politician he remains confident he will defeat Mr Hunt.“The constituents know that I never left them, even when I lost in 1998 I never stopped canvassing and working for them. At the end of the day my prediction is I will win.“I believe the people will choose me over Donte, outside of those who will vote based on party affiliation; they know me and they know I was born and bred here,” he said.But on the doorstep, his opponent Mr Hunt said it doesn’t matter where the candidate was born and raised, although he too has family ties in Hamilton Parish.With unprecedented unemployment and the state of Bermuda’s economy he said: “The people are screaming for change.”Mr Hunt first ran for public office in St George’s South in 2007 and defeated the PLPs Phil Perinchief and he too is confident of an OBA win.“This seat is marginal and it has always been won by less than 100 votes, its not a guaranteed win for either party.“People are losing homes, they’re desperately looking for change with substance, and they’re seeing that the OBA is that change.“What they have seen over the past 14 years is much of the same and we’re $1.5 billion in debt with unprecedented level job losses.“There’s a level of disenchantment with several voters who maintain they will not go to the polls.“And several voters both black and white are still undecided,” said Mr Hunt.“I suspect most candidates will record large numbers of undecided voters, and then there are those who will not vote.“It’s a shame that this country has reached the point where people don’t event want to exercise one of the most pivotal rights they have as individuals,” he said.He predicts low voter turnout on December 17, and believe Mr Furbert’s change of party allegiance will be evident at the polls.“When people see a former leader speak vehemently against the party he once led it’s a challenge. Mr Furbert admits he has been with the UBP since the age of 14.“There’s even a YouTube video of him saying ‘I am UBP’. He has said the UBP was not a racist party or a white elitist party, now he’s singing a whole different tune.“Whether the move to the PLP will hurt him, we shall see. But I guess he felt it was the right move, a move that raised the issue of trust,” said Mr Hunt.“If Mr Furbert spoke more about solutions instead of surrogates it would help him. The PLPs focus has been to label us as the old UBP with a new name.“But I’m not sure how much traction that’s getting. I would rather the PLP spend time embracing the mistakes they have made and how they plan to change.“Then maybe people would perk up and listen. What we see now is a party demonising the OBA with a plan to get in again through the back door,” he said.Either way he said: “The day after the election, win or lose, I will stay committed to my community.“Life goes on and so will my commitment, maybe in a different form; but life goes on.”