The 2019 General Elections in Montserrat, with a low turnout of 62% ended what turned to be a narrow victory over People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) for the Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) formed to contest the 2006 general elections which that time they narrowly missed winning only four seats though with the single party with most seats. The voter turnout in 2014 was 71.06% of the 3,866 registered voters. In 2019 only 2411 of the 3858 registered voters turned out to cast their ballots to elect nine of the 35 candidates.
For the records and for those who may find it worthwhile for good analysis and future planning, two other parties, New People’s Liberation Movement (NPLM) won three seats, while Montserrat Democratic Party (PDP) took only one seat, the other going to an independent candidate. The five seats joined to form the government then, under the MDP candidate Dr. Lowell Lewis as Chief Minister.
Four parties contested the elections. The MCAP team was the only party that fielded a full slate of nine candidates as against main rival PDM who fielded seven. The winning party took five seats. Peoples Democratic Movement took the other three. There are those who consider that the former PDM premier who ran on the Independent ticket might as well be still counted as PPDM.
Premier Donaldson Romeo almost immediately after he announced the date of elections, was dumped as the leader of the PDM party. That brought an outcry from supporters and non-PDM supporters alike. He then decided to stand on his own in the elections, a sure factor that influenced the outcome of the elections. That, with the engagement of strategists from the same camp that undoubtedly helped to rout them in the 2014 elections, with a seven to two loss.
As shown in the two contributions on the elections, a commentary by Mike Jarvis, and an article which first appeared in the Montserrat Spotlight by its editor Edwin Martin, both capture in fair detail the outcome of the campaign and the elections.
Of the nine incumbents who all contested, six were returned while one PDM candidate, former PDM minister Delmaude Ryan, former PDM candidates Dr. Ingrid Buffonge and Gregory Willock were casualties.
Two brilliant vote grabbers Crenston Buffonge who captured the most votes (1378 votes), and Attorney at law Veronica Dorsette-Hector who captured the fifth highest (1007 votes), after Paul Lewis (1251 votes), new and first-time premier Easton Taylor Farrell (1210 votes), and Donaldson Romeo (1060 votes), were new incoming legislators, with the veteran Charles Kirnon returning from the MCAP casualty in 2014.
The final results out of which emerged the MCAP party as the winner with the five seats were revealed by 3 a.m. on Tuesday was earlier than 2014 which went past 6 a.m. for one reason that there were fewer ballots (2412) to count than in 2014 when there were 2747 ballots to be counted. An interesting note (which needs confirmation) is there were only nine spoilt ballots as against 46 ballots this time around.
Five of the MCAP candidates were winners. Two newcomers to the Legislature: Crenston Buffonge with the most votes in the poll, Veronica DORSETTE-HECTOR; half-term incumbent, Dr. Sammy Joseph; the leader now fourth-time Legislator, Easton Taylor-Farrell; and veteran fourth-time Legislator, Charles Kirnon (between 2001 and 2019).
OBSERVER MISSION
An international Election Observer Mission (British Islands and Mediterranean Region) BIMR Election Observation Mission visited Montserrat between 11 and 20 November, 2019. The Mission comprised seven members of five different nationalities. It assessed the framework for elections and the conduct of election day for compliance with domestic law and international standards for elections.
Right after voting closed, head of the International Election Mission Julian Robinson MP from Jamaica said that his team visited all of the polling stations throughout the day. He said the process was smooth and the staff were very well trained. Robinson called it one of the smoothest elections he had ever seen.
He and his team released their preliminary findings on the election observation on Wednesday morning to the press at the DMCA where they had set up of office.
After an opening press conference on the previous week Wednesday, they confirmed and added to their brief initial report of Monday evening and more ending with recommendations. (See the full released report in this issue).
Following his party’s narrow victory at the polls announced on Tuesday morning, Premier elect Easton Taylor-Farrell was sworn in within 12 hours of the announcement and after he acknowledged the narrowness of the victory by declaring his mild disappointment by wishing the victory margin was larger.
The swearing took place at about 3 p.m. at the Governor’s office where having signed to the oath of allegiance to the Queen and the people of Montserrat, and acknowledging honour he feels, his first call was: “The first action I want to take I want to ask us to do is to heal our nation.”
Premier Farrell said in brief, “There has been much division amongst us over the past months as a people;” continuing as he exhibited an obvious bout of nervousness at the occasion, as he mixed up a popular saying: “We are loving people we understand that we are one. we understand that, divided we stand united we fall divided we stand…” concluding, “all of us must work together for the common good of this country.”
He later confessed his humility, but acknowledged the cause for celebration as he would join along with his ministers, family, and friends a motorcade that was waiting to get started outside the Governor’s office.
Cabinet Ministers announced
The Premier in a brief with the press following his swearing-in had said on Tuesday that he was in discussion with his fellow members as to how to finalise the selection of his other three ministers that would form his cabinet, there being five of them elected.
The announcement came on Thursday, and the swearing-in ceremony took place on Friday morning.
Present for the swearing-in were family and friends of the new officials and the new Premier Easton Taylor-Farrell. The premier reiterated his desire to get down to business and told the media that they will shortly announce who will fill their post for public relations officer and Speaker of the House.
Premier Taylor-Farrell will be responsible for Finance, Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, and Culture.
He will be responsible for Finance, Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, and Culture.
Dr. Samuel Joseph is the Deputy Premier and will assume responsibilities for Communication and Works, and Labour.
Charles T. Kirnon is the Minister of Education, Health, Community Services, Sports, Youth, and Ecclesiastic Affairs.
Crenston C. Buffonge is the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, and the Environment.
Veronica Dorsette-Hector will serve as Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Health, Community Services, Youth, and Sports.
Premier Taylor Farrell said in assigning the portfolios, consideration was given to how to best utlilise the skills of members of his government. “I am confident in the abilities of the members of my government, in whom the electorate has given the mandate to improve the fortunes of Montserrat and lead us on a path to prosperity,” he said.
“The people of Montserrat can rest assured that I will lead a government of integrity that upholds the tenets of good governance. We will get to work immediately to deliver on our promises to the people.”
The Movement for Change and Prosperity won five of the nine seats in Montserrat’s Legislative Assembly on 18 November 2019.
The swearing-in of the new government took place on Friday, November 22 at 10:00 a.m.
