Gonsalves wins again

The ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves won a historic third consecutive term in office in yesterday’s general elections.



The ULP fought off a strong battle from the main opposition New Democratic Labour Party (NDP).



Supporters of the ULP took to the streets in celebration after the preliminary results showed that the party had won eight of the 15 seats contested in the general election.



The NDP increased the number of seats it has in Parliament from three to seven.

Sixty-four year old Gonsalves comfortably retained his North Central Windward seat.



Gonsalves called the elections nearly four months ahead of schedule telling voters that they were better off since 2001 when his party first came to power defeating the NDP.



The victory has given Gonsalves the opportunity he said he needed to groom a new generation of ULP leaders and to consolidate some of his party’s policies, including completing the international airport at Argyle.



The election results may have also ended efforts by the 65 year old NDP leader, Arnhim Eustace, to regain the prime ministership, which he lost in 2001.



The ULP victory means that Eustace has led his party to a third consecutive defeat even though he was able to retain his East Kingstown seat.



Electoral officials said that 101,000 persons were eligible to cast ballots in the election that was monitored by foreign observer teams from the Organisation of American States (OAS) and CARICOM.