St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party ‘sees Bermuda election as inspiration’

The ousting of a one-term coalition government in Bermuda in the recent general election appears to be inspiration to the official opposition party in St Kitts and Nevis.

And official materials from the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) in the wake of the 18 July election state that the “die is cast” for a similar pattern of events to happen in the federation.

The Bermudian general election saw the Progressive Labour Party defeat the incumbent One Bermuda Alliance (OBA), taking 24 out of 36 seats and winning 58% of the popular vote.

This was the highest number of votes ever secured by a political party since the introduction of Bermuda’s single-seat constituency system in 2003.

A number of senior scalps – including deputed premier Bob Richards – were claimed when results had been counted, and the beaten premier Michael Dunkley resigned as party leader.

The end of the One Bermuda Alliance was fractious, with two of its MPs leaving to sit as independents, and the SKNLP draws many parallels between the OBA and the Team Unity government in St Kitts and Nevis.

Describing Team Unity as being patterned on the OBA, they have stated that “a political alliance for nothing more than convenience and self-enrichment cannot stand” and that the result is a “foreshadowing of a one-term government” in St Kitts and Nevis.

Stronger unit

The Progressive Labour Party ran a populist campaign – one which the Royal Gazette compared to Trump’s in the United States and the UK Independence Party’s in Great Britain.

The OBA contrasted that with a more repetitive beat, promoting its economic record while in government.

Following the election of David Burt as Bermuda’s premier, St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris sent his congratulations.

“This call to unity in advancing progress resonates with the majority of the electorate and also with us, your friends and partners in St Kitts and Nevis, who recognize, as you do, that working together brings out the best in – and achieves the best results for – everyone,” he said.