Anguilla elects first woman head of gov’t

THE VALLEY (CMC):

Governor Julia Crouch says she has received the official results of Wednesday’s general elections that resulted in Cora Richardson-Hodge becoming the first woman to head a government in this British overseas territory (BOT).

Crough said that the results from the Supervisor of Elections, Rodney Rey, showed that the main opposition Anguilla United Front (AUF) had won the polls.

“In accordance with Section 24(1) of the Anguilla Constitution Order, I will appoint Ms Cora Richardson-Hodge as premier of Anguilla. On the advice of the premier, I will also appoint Ministers of the Crown and a Parliamentary Secretary,” said Crouch in a statement.

She said the premier will advise her in due course on the assignment of specific portfolio responsibilities to individual ministers.

The AUF won eight of the 11 seats at stake in the Parliament, with the outgoing Anguilla Progressive Movement of Premier Dr Ellis L Webster winning the other three seats. Webster was among the victorious candidates for the party.

An estimated 12,432 registered voters were eligible to vote in the election where 34 candidates were vying for 11 of the 13 seats in the House of Assembly. The other two seats are reserved for non-elected members.

The 11 seats in the Parliament up for grabs are determined by direct voting. Seven members are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.

The other four seats are assigned to ‘at-large’ candidates elected from the entire island by plurality at-large voting.

Voters may vote up to four candidates in the at-large seats. Seven seats are needed for a majority. Voters can choose up to four candidates in the at-large seats.