Senator Pearl Quinn-Williams, the United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for St. John’s City East, said she is confident of winning the constituency in the April 30 general election, claiming she has already made up the six-vote margin that separated the parties in the last contest.

Quinn-Williams claimed the current representative has been absent from the community, leaving the constituency in a state of neglect that residents are eager to reverse.

Quinn-Williams identified the cleanliness of the constituency as the most pressing concern raised by residents, describing conditions she said are unacceptable for an area of its size.

She said gutters are blocked with stagnant water, bulk waste is strewn across communities, and some areas carry an unbearable stench that residents are forced to endure daily.

Quinn-Williams also took aim at the current MP Melford Nicholas record as Minister of Public Utilities, questioning how the minister responsible for water and electricity could allow parts of the constituency to go without reliable access to either service.

With less than three weeks until election day, Quinn-Williams said her focus is on maintaining a visible presence in the constituency.