Finding affordable housing is a main concern among young voters, many of whom will make their voices heard for the first time in the coming election on July 24. Despite the fact that Bermuda's population is ageing, and with some of the hottest issues of the election focusing on how the country's infrastructure will adapt to that, no party can afford to ignore the interests and demands of the school leavers and graduates who represent Bermuda's future.

On the streets of Hamilton this week, The Royal Gazette found political attitudes to be variously characterised by both independent analysis and strong feelings of party loyalty, sometimes born of family influence or historical ties.

And, while opinions were mainly backed up by a knowledge of the crucial issues, they were occasionally tempered by blunt political cynicism.

Among the issues that young people raised, housing was number one, while Independence was also mentioned, along with the perennial complaint that young people do not have enough to do in their free time.

“It is about time politicians actually focused on Bermudians,” said 20-year-old Amy Browne, who works as a cashier in a Hamilton shop. “Housing needs to be more reasonably priced and there needs to be more things for young people to do. There are lots of nightclubs closing down and people under 18 have nothing to do. Everything is so expensive too.”

Asked if she wanted to make her voice heard on election day, she said: “I'll be voting. The Government have been doing a good enough job for me. Everyone deserves a second chance. The United Bermuda Party (UBP) worries too much about the other party rather than the whole of Bermuda. I think they're too interested in public relations.”

For 21-year-old Ry Roberts, deciding who to vote for will be tinged with disappointment due to perceived failures by both parties over the last few years: “I'm not really happy with the Government but I don't think the UBP will do any better. I'll support whichever party is strongest on housing.”

The apathy was more evident in 25-year-old independent artist Jon Legere: “The UBP messed up our education system and the PLP is a joke, just watch them operate. And the NLP who? “

For 21-year-old James Thompson, who plans to study graphic design at college in Canada, the PLP government had not performed well enough over the last five years to earn his vote: “I'll vote for the UBP. I don't think that the PLP has been doing a good job. They've avoided all the problems they were meant to be fixing. I'm a bit disillusioned with politics generally though.”

Asked what he would like to see the next Government tackle as a priority, he said: “I'd like to see more police officer presence and more housing. It's ludicrous. It is impossible for young Bermudians to do anything. I supported the PLP in 1998 but they're always coming up with new laws and things that do not need to be brought in. An example is the seat belt law. Now I hear they are pushing for Independence, which I disagree with.”

Unlike Mr. Thompson, 21-year-old Edward Petty said he had never supported PLP to begin with, and added he thought they should be judged on the failed attempt to introduce a Global Positioning System (GPS) for taxis and the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

“The Government is not too sharp,” he said. “I would vote UBP because that's just who I would vote for. They look out for my interests. The PLP is representative of a racist Bermuda.”

Student Wainette Hollis, who goes to Johnson Wales University in Rhode Island, was less sure of whom to side with politically, if anyone: “I'm not happy because a lot of promises have been broken. Everyone deserves a second chance though and nobody's perfect. Then again the UBP deserves a second chance too. I would lean towards the UBP because they seem to be more focused on the issues. I supported the PLP during the last election though.”

Kurt James, 21, said: “I think its going to be a landslide for the UBP. In young people there is disillusionment with Government, although they are mostly informed by their parents. Nobody is really happy with the last five years. There has been a lot of corruption within Government.”

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