GENERAL elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 21 March 2018, resulting in the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) winning 15 of the 17 swats – and adding one more to its earlier majority in the island’s House of Representatives.
The 17 elected members of the House were elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post.
As in all other CARICOM member-states, there is no fixed election date in effect in Antigua and Barbuda, so the choice of election date is the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
On 24 February 2018, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced that Antigua and Barbuda would be going to the polls on 21 March to elect a new government.
The election took place 15 months before it was constitutionally due in June 2019.
According to Browne, the polls were called early to protect the many plans his Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) has programmed for this year and the next.
“We have an opportunity at this point to consolidate the leadership of this country, to provide investors with predictability, to prove stability, to provide continuity, and that’s the main reason why we’re going to the polls early,” he said.
Brown advised the Governor-General to dissolve parliament on 26 February.
On February 27th, the Writ of Elections was issued. Nomination Day was set for 5 March.
A total of 51, 258 Antiguans and Barbudans were eligible to vote.
As in previous elections, the main political parties contesting the elections were the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP).
A total of 53 candidates contested the elections.
The ruling ABLP, led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne was the only party to present a full slate.
The main opposition, Harold Lovell-led United Progressive Party (UPP) contested 16, while its affiliate the Barbuda Peoples Movement (BPM) contested one seat, Barbuda.
The new Joanne Massiah-led Democratic National Alliance (DNA) registered 13 candidates, Go Green for Life (GGL) 2 and Missing Link VOP (MLVOP) 1.
The Antigua Barbuda True Labour Party (ABTLP), led by Vere Bird III, fielded two candidates.
Attorney-at-law Ralph Francis was the only independent candidate.
Preliminary results indicate that the ABLP won 15 of the 17 seats in the House of Representatives.
The opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), led by former Finance Minister Harold Lovell, won one seat.
The Joanne Massiah led Democratic National Alliance (DNA) failed to win any.
Voter turnout was 76.3%.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne was sworn-in for a second term on Thursday, after his Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) triumphed decisively in Wednesday’s general elections, winning 15 of the 17 seats at stake.
Members of the new Cabinet sworn-in on Thursday afternoon are:
Sir Robin Yearwood as Senior Minister responsible for Public Utilities, Civil Aviation and Energy; Molwyn Joseph as Minister for Health, Wellness and the Environment and EP Chet Greene as Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Immigration.
Also appointed were: Samantha Marshall as minister for Social Transformation, Human Resource, Youth, and Gender Affairs; Charles Max Fernandez as Tourism and Economic Development Minister; Melford Nicholas as Minister for Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Information technology; and Dean Jonas as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Barbuda Affairs.
Other Cabinet appointments were: Michael Browne as Minister for Education, Science, and Technology; Asot Michael as Minister of Investment and Trade; Lennox Weston as Minister of Works and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance; Daryl Matthew as Minister for Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts; and Maria Browne as Minister of State in Immigration and Labour, also with responsibility for Housing, Lands and Urban Renewal.