The Deighton Griffith Secondary School car park was big enough to contain the eight supporters who turned up in two vehicles to celebrate with Democratic Labour Party candidate Stephen Lashley who retained his Christ Church West Central seat this morning.
Lashley, grinning from ear to ear, said he would not know when he will get some rest but thanked God for his victory, his wife Debra and daughters (Nakiah was with him) and his extended family, the constituents of Christ Church West Central and his team.
“Our record stood for itself and the people of Christ stood behind me and the party.”
Saying it was a humbling experience, he said he is ready to continue the work and represent his constituents in Parliament.
“The next five years will be better”, he stated, adding he has set out a development plan and has taken on a few suggestions from voters also.
First order of business is the many projects he has on stream, such as a multi-purpose community centre in Silver Hill and the moving into the Villages at Christ Church West Central. He also commented that sports and culture will not be left out.
On leaving the polling station he said he would be going to check on his other colleagues who still hadn’t gotten back results, celebrate with his supporters, and join the others at George Street.
His opponent, Margo Durant-Callender did not appear at the polling station and efforts to reach her were futile.
At 9:55p.m., Thursday, returning officer Walter Jones called out four boxes with Lashley getting 1 103 votes to the Barbados Labour Party’s Durant-Callender 831. At midnight, with all nine boxes counted Lashley had soundly trounced the BLP candidate by over 800 seats with the final tally at 2 940 to 2 112. There were 5 079 votes with 27 spoils. (NS)
