Landslide election win for opposition in The Bahamas

The ruling party in The Bahamas has conceded defeat as the Free National Movement (FNM) looks to form the next government.

Prime Minister Perry Christie called Hubert Minnis, leader of the FNM, to congratulate him on victory.

The ousting of the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) follows a trend seen throughout the Caribbean region.

Incumbents in St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Montserrat and Jamaica are among those replaced in recent years when the public took to the polls.

WIC News understands that the FNM won 35 seats, with the PLP picking up 4.

Voting was temporarily suspended after issues with ballots at some polling stations, and a number had their opening hours extended due to this.

Minnis told supporters at a victory rally: “This was a long fought battle, but the victory is not mine, the victory is yours. This is the people’s time and I am your servant.”

In a statement, Christie said: “I called Dr Minnis earlier this evening to congratulate him on his party’s victory. I understand as perhaps few others the challenges that await Minnis, and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a smooth transition.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the prime minister of this great nation. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Bahamian people for that opportunity. To those who served alongside me, I thank them for their dedication to our shared ideals.

"May God bless us all, and may God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

Minnis will be sworn in today as the country’s next prime minister.

The previous government, which had been in power since 2012, has been dealing with a number of pressing issues recently, including high crime rates, rising unemployment and ministerial scandals.