BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SUPPORTERS of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) early this morning (Jun. 13) took to the streets in celebration of their landslide victory at the Polls.
Reports reaching this publication state that the ABLP has won 14 of the 17 seats in that country’s General Elections yesterday (Jun. 12) and its Leader, 47-year-old businessman Gaston Browne, would be sworn in as the new Prime Minister after some 10 years in opposition.
According to the Observer Media Group, voter turnout was over 90 percent in some Constituencies and, in an address from his party’s Command Center, former Prime Minister and Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Baldwin Spencer conceded defeat shortly after midnight.
And according to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), Spencer’s address was aired on both television and radio, in which he assured the new government his support “in the discharge of their responsibilities when I am sure they are acting in the best interest of the people of this nation”.
“I wish to also say to the people of Antigua and Barbuda that the democratic process in our nation is alive and that the people of Antigua and Barbuda, the electorate of this country would have made a statement they would have spoken in clear terms, they would have made a choice,” CMC quoted the 63-year-old Spencer as saying.
Spencer, who was seeking a third consecutive term in office, is among the only three UPP candidates to have won their seats in the General Elections. He won in St. John’s Rural West, while Wilmoth Daniel took the St. Phillips South seat and Joanne Massiah was victorious in All Saints East and St. Luke.
Also in his address, Spencer thanked the nationals for affording him the opportunity to lead that Federation for the last 10 years.
“We believe that under the circumstances and the conditions under which we had to function that we done the best that we could have done and that history will certainly prove that the United Progressive Party under the circumstances would have performed reasonably well.
“I also wish to take this opportunity to thank my colleague candidates and also individuals and supporters …of the United Progressive Party who would have rallied, who would have supported our campaign and who would have voted for candidates throughout the country representing the United Progressive Party.”
Additionally, the media house reported that Spencer said the reality of the situation is that “the people of this country would have spoken and they would have made their decision.
“That decision has to be accepted and I have accepted the verdict of the people of Antigua and Barbuda at this time. I wish the new government well and I say so with all sincerity because as far as I am concerned what is important now is for us to come together as a nation, let the healing begin almost instantly and bring this country together in the interest of the future of Antigua and Barbuda.”
The seats won by Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party are as follow: Michael Browne, All Saints West; Arthur Nibbs, Barbuda; Dean Jonas, St. George; Melford Nicholas, St. John's City East; Steadroy ‘Cutie’ Benjamin, St. John's City South; Gaston Browne, St. John's City West; Lester Bird, St. John's Rural East; Charles Max Fernandez, St. John's Rural North; Eustace Lake, St. John's Rural South; Molwyn Joseph, St. Mary's North; Samantha Marshall, St. Mary's South; Paul ‘Chet’ Greene, St. Paul; Asot Michael, St. Peter; and Robin Yearwood, St. Phillip North.
Prime Minister-elect Gaston Browne has declared today a public holiday in that Federation.
