Monday, 23rd December 2024

Ralph Gonsalves' ULP gets fifth consecutive term in St Vincent and the Grenadines

Unity Labour Party won nine of the total fifteen parliament seats which is an increase of one seat than their last term.

Friday, 6th November 2020

The incumbent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and his Unity Labour Party gets fifth consecutive term in office after Saint Vincent and the Grenadines observed general elections of 5 November.

Unity Labour Party won nine of the total fifteen parliament seats which is an increase of one seat than their last term. While, the New Democratic Party declared victory on only six seats, one lesser than the previous elections.

Ralph Gonsalves thanked each and every voter for their support through a Facebook post, where he posted "It's a celebration time.,"

New Democratic Party lead by Godwin Friday was a close rival of ULP in these general elections. Friday undoubtedly grasped the Northern Grenadines seat he has designated in Parliament since 2001. He received 2,123 votes versus only 458 for the ULP's Carlos Williams.

The New Democratic Party received to major seats from the island of Grenadines where Terrance Ollivierre won from Southern Grenadines by defeating Edwin Snagg of Unity Labour Party with 594 votes.

Health Minister under the Unity Labour Party Luke Brown lost to new candidate Dwight Fitzgerald of the NDP in East Kingstown constituency.

The constituency was earlier represented by former Prime Minister and NDP leader Arnhim Eustace who took retirement from politics in 2019.

Unity Labour Party's Luke Brown lost to Eustace twice in previous elections and was hopeful to triumph from this constituency in his absence; however, his speculations turned out to be wrong, and East Kingstown constituency is now declared to be NDP's stronghold.

Furthermore, Unity Labour Party's candidate Carlos James won by just seven votes from incumbent Ronald Mathews in North Leeward constituency. In 2015, ULP's James had lost on this seat with only 12 votes to NDP.

Unity Labour Party has been in power for over two decades, and Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says he is fortunate to lead Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in first twenty-years of the twenty-first century.

New Democratic Party's Godwin Friday was the first time leading the main rival of ULP in general elections; however, NDP's seat share decreased by one in general elections that were observed on 5 November.

These elections were observed during the coronavirus pandemic, and previously sister nation St Kitts and Nevis also underwent ballots during the health crisis where the incumbent Team Unity gained the majority,