CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – The ruling Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) won yesterday’s election in a replay of the 2006 poll when it won three seats in the eight member- Nevis Island Administration (NIA), according to the preliminary results issued here on early today.
NRP leader and premier Joseph Parry easily won the St. Thomas seat, which he has been representing since 1987, polling 535 vote to the 173 won by Keith Scarborough, the calypsonian making his debut in the polls on behalf of the main opposition Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM).
The NRP candidate for St. Paul’s Robelto Hector also retained the seat, defeating the CCM’s Michael Perkins by a margin of 822 to 619 votes.
NRP deputy leader Hensley Daniel was victorious in the island’s largest district of St. John, polling 1,358 votes to the CCM’s Deputy Leader Mark Brantley’s 1,344.
Former premier Vance Amory, who has now led the CCM into two consecutive defeats, retained the St. George’s seat which he has held for 14 years , polling 753 votes to the NRP’s Patricia Hanley 246 votes.
Attorney General of St. Kitts and Nevis, Patrice Nisbett, was defeated in the St. James constituency after the CCM’s Alexis Jeffers polled 833 votes to Nisbett’s 796.
NRP supporters took to the streets during the early hours of the morning to celebrate the victory.
The campaign for the elections had been marred by allegations of voter irregularities and an attempt by the CCM to get the High Court here to stop the poll.
However Justice Mario Michel ruled last week that the polls would go ahead since the court had no jurisdiction to stop the elections. He however ruled that the names of five persons that had been taken off the voters list be reinstated.
Electoral officials said that 9, 260 persons were eligible to cast ballots in the election.
The eight-member NIA will be completed when three persons are nominated to serve a five-year term. (CMC)
