BRADES, Montserrat – Less than 48 hours after he announced that voters would go to the polls on November 18 to elect a new government in Montserrat, Premier Donaldson Romeo has been replaced as the leader of the incumbent People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).
Romeo in a radio broadcast, Wednesday, said that he had been replaced by his Communications, Works, Energy and Labour Minister, Paul Lewis, during an election held on Tuesday” to review the PDM’s leadership position in a democratic way.
“As a result Honourable Lewis was chosen as leader going into the November 18, 2019 general election. Having participated in a democratic process, I will respect the outcome.
“This means that up until the day of the election, I will continue to perform my constitutional duties as premier and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Montserrat for their support, prayers and encouragement over the past five years,” said Romeo, who had formed the PDM prior to the last general election in 2014..
Last October, Romeo survived a move by disgruntled opposition legislators to bring down his administration when a key government backbencher indicated that he had no intention of supporting a vote of no confidence against him.
Former agriculture minister Claude Hogan held the key to the survival of the government that faced an uphill task to complete its first five-year term, but told legislators that they should withdraw the motion, adding “if you want to change the premier there is a way to do it”, said Hogan.
The government holds a slim one seat majority in the Legislative Assembly and political observers had expected Hogan, who was dismissed by Romeo in 2017, to have sided with the opposition that included two former members of the ruling party. (CMC)
