Elecciones generales en Antigua y Barbuda: el opositor Partido Laborista logra contundente triunfo
ABLP Wins
The people of Antigua & Barbuda chose change over continuity when they overwhelmingly voted for the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) on Election Day June 12.
With a high voter turnout of over 90 per cent in some constituencies, the ABLP won by an almost two to one margin in some constituencies ending a 10-year return out of the cold.
The party took victory in dominant fashion. Up to press time, the ABLP had been declared winner in 14 of 17 constituencies against the United Progressive Party’s (UPP) two seats. There were 47,721 eligible voters.
The successful ABLP candidates are: Gaston Browne, St John’s City West; Melford Nicholas, St John’s City East; Steadroy ‘Cutie’ Benjamin, St John’s City South; Eustace Lake, St John’s Rural South; Lester Bird, St John’s Rural East; Charles Max Fernandez, St John’s Rural North; Dean Jonas, St George; Asot Michael, St Peter; Robin Yearwood, St Phillips North; Paul “Chet” Greene, St Paul; Michael Browne, All Saints West; Molwyn Joseph, St Mary’s North; Samantha Marshall, St Mary’s South and Arthur Nibbs, Barbuda.
The UPP could only secure seats in St John’s Rural West held by former prime minister Baldwin Spencer, St Phillips South by Wilmoth Daniel and All Saints East & St Luke by Joanne Massiah.
The ABLP will form a new government today with ABLP Leader Gaston Browne becoming the nation’s youngest ever prime minister.
Born in Potters on February 9, 1967, it marks a major milestone in the former banker turned politician’s rise out of poverty to become Antigua & Barbuda’s fourth prime minister.
Those who will enter the Lower House of Parliament for the first time are: Michael Browne, Samantha Marshall, Charles ‘Max Fernandez’, Dean Jonas, Melford Nicholas, Paul “Chet” Greene and Arthur Nibbs.
None of the UPP newcomers, Shawn Nicholas, Mervyn Richards, Clephane Roberts or Dr Philmore Benjamin, was successful at the polls.
Former prime minister Baldwin Spencer accepted defeat and conceded at 12:24 am in a live address from the UPP Command Centre, from where he said he is willing to support Browne as long as he is working in the interest of the country.
The election, according to most reports, ran relatively smoothly apart from some specific issues raised by visiting observer groups, including the Commonwealth Observer Mission and the Organisation of American States (OAS).
http://www.antiguaobserver.com/ablp-wins/
Primer Ministro electo promete «una nueva era»
Prime minister elect promises dawn of a new era
Prime Minister-elect Gaston Browne whose Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) won the June 12 General Election has told resident to brace for a “new era” of national development.
He told a news conference to accept victory and that he would deliver on promises made during the election campaign, even as jubilant supporters celebrated outside the party’s headquarters on Nevis Street.
Before addressing the crowd a teary-eyed Browne told a nationally televised address that he was grateful for the support he received from the public.
“It is evident that the people have spoke and that they have spoken resoundingly,” he said.
Browne said the victory was not a time for gloating. He told the press that “it would require a lot of hard work.”
The City West representative said he accepts the concession of former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, who called him at 11 pm on June 12, not only to concede but to offer a gesture of good will in the interest of the country.
Browne thanked family members, including his mentally ill mother saying, “my only disappointment in life is that she is not able to enjoy the fruits of my labour.”
Up until press time, 14 seats had been declared for the party that endured 10 years in opposition before once again assuming the reins of power.
The victory for the ABLP comes months after the “lengthy” campaign period in which the team led by Browne took pains to ensure that the country was convinced that it was better off under his stewardship. Browne said his message is a symbol of hope to all residents, especially those who think they could not achieve great things because of their circumstances.
The lengthy election campaign appeared to have paid off and today thousands of residents who placed confidence in the ABLP have something to celebrate.
“We will honour your support, we will never betray your trust.” Antigua and Barbuda will become a country of growth and a country of opportunity,” he said.
As his first act, the prime minister-elect declared today a national holiday. He said he asked the governor general to appoint Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin as attorney general.
http://www.antiguaobserver.com/prime-minister-elect-promises-dawn-of-a-new-era/
Primer Ministro actual reconoce derrota
Spencer concedes to ABLP
After a decade in power, the United Progressive Party (UPP) conceded midnight Thursday it was headed to defeat by the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) as vote counting in the twin island was under way.
In his concession speech at the UPP Command Centre, freshly ousted former two-term prime minster Baldwin Spencer, who retained his seat in St John’s Rural West, said, “I have been in touch with Mr Gaston Browne to congratulate him and to concede the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party has won the general elections based on what the trends are showing.”
“I congratulated him and told him I look forward to the ABLP governing this country in the interest of Antigua & Barbuda and that they can be assured of my support in the discharge of their responsibilities when I am satisfied that they are acting in the best interest of the people of this nation.”
A solemn looking Spencer added, “I wish to also say to the people of Antigua & Barbuda that the democratic process in our nation is alive and the electorate of this country would have made a statement … they would have made a choice and of course that I have to accept.”
While Spencer spoke in a small room upstairs, scores of UPP supporters sat silently outside with distraught faces as they continued to listen to live radio updates of counting that was still ongoing at the time.
Simultaneously, supporters of the ABLP were driving by outside the UPP’s Independence Drive honking car horns and screaming “we hab dem.” The same sort of celebration was seen on Market and High Streets.
http://www.antiguaobserver.com/spencer-concedes-to-ablp/
Resultados oficiales:
| Constituency | ABLP | UPP | BPM | Reject | ABTLP | ABPM | MLVOP | Total Votes Cast | Number Of Electors | Percentage Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Saints East & St. Luke |
1438 |
1624 |
– |
12 |
– |
13 |
– |
3087 | 3365 |
91.74 % |
| All Saints West |
1931 |
1596 |
– |
16 |
17 |
– |
– |
3560 | 3959 |
89.92 % |
| Barbuda |
485 |
– |
484 |
3 |
– |
– |
– |
972 | 1017 |
95.58 % |
| St. George |
2182 |
1765 |
– |
9 |
56 |
– |
– |
4012 | 4535 |
88.47 % |
| St. John’s City East |
794 |
682 |
– |
4 |
– |
– |
– |
1480 | 1585 |
93.38 % |
| St. John’s City South |
828 |
488 |
– |
7 |
– |
– |
– |
1323 | 1458 |
90.74 % |
| St. John’s City West |
1394 |
732 |
– |
5 |
– |
– |
– |
2131 | 2334 |
91.30 % |
| St. John’s Rural East |
2144 |
1556 |
– |
18 |
– |
– |
– |
3718 | 4169 |
89.18 % |
| St. John’s Rural North |
1860 |
1205 |
– |
17 |
– |
– |
7 |
3089 | 3405 |
90.72 % |
| St. John’s Rural South |
1548 |
1011 |
– |
10 |
28 |
– |
– |
2597 | 2924 |
88.82 % |
| St. John’s Rural West |
1937 |
2019 |
– |
24 |
– |
– |
– |
3980 | 4492 |
88.60 % |
| St. Mary’s North |
2089 |
1689 |
– |
12 |
– |
– |
– |
3790 | 4127 |
91.83 % |
| St. Mary’s South |
1009 |
928 |
– |
22 |
– |
– |
– |
1959 | 2131 |
91.93 % |
| St. Paul |
1453 |
969 |
– |
2 |
29 |
– |
– |
2453 | 2734 |
89.72 % |
| St. Peter |
1730 |
722 |
– |
12 |
52 |
– |
– |
2516 | 2849 |
88.31 % |
| St. Phillip North |
951 |
485 |
– |
6 |
– |
– |
– |
1442 | 1581 |
91.21 % |
| St. Phillip South |
439 |
523 |
– |
6 |
– |
– |
– |
968 | 1056 |
91.67 % |
| Total Votes / % Turnout |
24212
|
17994
|
484
|
185
|
182
|
13
|
7
|
43077
|
47,721
|
90.27%
|
| % of Votes Cast |
56.21%
|
41.77%
|
1.12%
|
0.43%
|
0.42%
|
0.03%
|
0.02%
|
http://www.antiguaelections.com/Default.htm
Oposición logra mayoría de votos en Antigua y Barbuda
De acuerdo a los datos de la Comisión Electoral el opositor Partido Laborista de Antigua y Barbuda (ABLP, por sus siglas en inglés) se impone en los comicios para elegir al primer ministro de la isla.
El opositor Partido Laborista de Antigua y Barbuda (ABLP, por sus siglas en inglés) se impone en los comicios para elegir al primer ministro de la isla acumulando la mayoría de los votos, según informó la Comisión Electoral a tan sólo cuatro horas de haberse cerrado los centros de votación.
La información fue dada a conocer por la Comisión Electoral a través de la página web habilitada para estas elecciones en el cual notifican además que no se podrán sacar este jueves las conclusiones de esta contienda por lo ajustado del recuento cuando alcanzaba el 20 por ciento, aunque se observaba cierta ventaja del partido de la oposición.
De acuerdo a los datos del ente electoral el Partido Laborista de Antigua y Barbuda (ABLP, por su sigla en inglés) se imponía con el 56,65 por ciento de los votos, con el 20,65 por ciento del escrutinio completado.
Le seguía de cerca el Partido Progresista de Antigua (UPP), con el 40,94 por ciento de los algo más de nueve mil 800 votos contabilizados hasta el momento, y mucho más de lejos por el Movimiento del Pueblo de Barbuda (BPM), con el 3,58 por ciento.
Al culminar el comicio, que se desarrolló de manera pacífica, la jefa de la misión de observadores de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA), Rosina Wiltshire, indicó a medios locales que la jornada electoral experimentó «una gran mejora» en comparación con el plebiscito de 2009.
Wiltshire afirmó que los 16 observadores de la misión comprobaron que la apertura de los colegios electorales fue puntual, las personas ejercieron su voto de forma ordenada y la seguridad estuvo garantizada por la Policía.
Un total de 47 mil 721 personas estaban llamadas a votar este jueves de los apenas 90 mil habitantes que pueblan este país, formado por dos islas principales situadas en el área caribeña de las Antillas menores.
