SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES: parliamentary elections House of Assembly, 2001

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Parliamentary Chamber: House of Assembly

ELECTIONS HELD IN 2001

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES <<<

Chamber:

House of Assembly

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

28 March 2001

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all directly-elected members of the House of Assembly following the premature dissolution of this body. General elections had previously been held in June 1998.

Background and outcome of elections:

In May 2000, the then Prime Minister Keith Mitchel and the opposition leaders decided to schedule elections before 31 March 2001, more than two years ahead of the constitutional deadline. They agreed to bring them forward after a wave of anti-government strikes and street demonstrations sparked by Parliament's approval of new pensions and gratuities for parliamentarians.
The main opposition party, the centre-left Unity Labour Party, a merger of the Labour Party and the Movement for National Unity, based its campaign on initiatives for creating a system of good governance which included job creation as a major priority, toughness on crime and fighting corruption in government. On its part, the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP), that had been in power for the last 16 years, centred its campaign around promises of diversifying the agriculture-based economy.
These were the first elections monitored by international observers, some of them coming from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). On polling day, there were no reports of violence, although the ULP leader, Mr Gonsalves had reportedly received death threats.
There were 41 candidates from three political parties competing for the 15 seats at stake. Final results showed a landslide victory for the ULP, which took 12 of the 15 seats in Parliament. The incumbent NDP won 3 seats.
On 29 March 2001, Mr Ralph Gonsalves, of the ULP, was sworn in for a five-year term as Prime Minister by Governor General Sir Charles Antrobus.
Successful candidates took their seats in Parliament on 17 April 2001, when a new session of the Seventh Parliament convened. Mr Hendrick Alexander was appointed as the new Speaker by Prime Minister Gonsalves.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (28 March 2001): Elections results

Number of registered electors 84 930

Voters 68.70 %

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group %

United Labour Party (ULP) 56.70

New Democratic Party (NDP) 40.70

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total

United Labour Party (ULP) 12

New Democratic Party (NDP) 3

Comments:

+ 7 Senators appointed by the Governor-General

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 17

Women: 5

Percent of women: 22.73

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES <<<

Chamber:
	House of Assembly
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	28 March 2001
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all directly-elected members of the House of Assembly following the premature dissolution of this body. General elections had previously been held in June 1998.
Background and outcome of elections:
	In May 2000, the then Prime Minister Keith Mitchel and the opposition leaders decided to schedule elections before 31 March 2001, more than two years ahead of the constitutional deadline. They agreed to bring them forward after a wave of anti-government strikes and street demonstrations sparked by Parliament's approval of new pensions and gratuities for parliamentarians. The main opposition party, the centre-left Unity Labour Party, a merger of the Labour Party and the Movement for National Unity, based its campaign on initiatives for creating a system of good governance which included job creation as a major priority, toughness on crime and fighting corruption in government. On its part, the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP), that had been in power for the last 16 years, centred its campaign around promises of diversifying the agriculture-based economy. These were the first elections monitored by international observers, some of them coming from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). On polling day, there were no reports of violence, although the ULP leader, Mr Gonsalves had reportedly received death threats. There were 41 candidates from three political parties competing for the 15 seats at stake. Final results showed a landslide victory for the ULP, which took 12 of the 15 seats in Parliament. The incumbent NDP won 3 seats. On 29 March 2001, Mr Ralph Gonsalves, of the ULP, was sworn in for a five-year term as Prime Minister by Governor General Sir Charles Antrobus. Successful candidates took their seats in Parliament on 17 April 2001, when a new session of the Seventh Parliament convened. Mr Hendrick Alexander was appointed as the new Speaker by Prime Minister Gonsalves.

Round no 1 (28 March 2001): Elections results
Number of registered electors	84 930
Voters	68.70 %

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	%
United Labour Party (ULP)	56.70
New Democratic Party (NDP)	40.70

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
United Labour Party (ULP)	12
New Democratic Party (NDP)	3

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	17
Women:	5
Percent of women:	22.73