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Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
At stake: House of Assembly
Background
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - In the 17th Century, St. Vincent was granted to Lord Carlisle. In 1783, the Treaty of Versailles recognized the island as a British colony. In 1951, St. Vincent was granted universal suffrage, becoming a member of the British-sponsored West Indies Federation in 1958.
In October 1979, St. Vincent and the Grenadines became independent. Milton Cato of the St. Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) became the country's first prime minister. In 1984, James Mitchell of the New Democratic Party (NDP) took over in a surprising electoral victory. Mitchell would lead the NDP to new majorities in 1989, 1994 and 1998.
In 2000, Mitchell stepped down, and was substituted by finance minister Arnhim Eustace. A series of anti-government protests compelled the government to hold early elections in 2001. Ralph Gonsalves—a lawyer and former University of the West Indies academic—became prime minister after the Unity Labour Party (ULP) won 56.7 per cent of the vote, and secured 12 of the 15 elected seats in the House of Assembly.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines was once regarded as a money-laundering hub, but the country was removed from a list of perceived uncooperative nations in June 2003. St. Vincent's economy relies heavily on banana exports, and has attempted to diversify in the area of tourism.
2005 House of Assembly Election
On Nov. 6, the legislative election was scheduled for Dec. 7. The Unity Labour Party (ULP) of prime minister Ralph Gonsalves issued a manifesto with the tagline: "Better, By Far." The document projects an economic growth of 5.5 per cent in 2005.
A poll conducted by the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) suggested a "comfortable" victory for the governing ULP.
New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Arnhim Eustace—a former economist with the Caribbean Development Bank—said the country's electoral register had been "padded" with the addition of around 3,000 names. The claim was rejected by both the government and the electoral commissioner. Just over 91,000 persons are eligible to vote in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The NDP's manifesto reads, "The simple fact is that the present administration has failed to deliver to the people." Eustace also criticized the governing party's decision to stage concerts during the campaign, saying, "The last time, these things played a role, but people won't be fooled like that anymore."
In all, 34 candidates were registered to take part in the ballot, including four from the Green Party of Ivan O'Neal. A mission from the Organization of American States (OAS) participated in monitoring duties.
Voting took place on Dec. 7. Final results gave the ULP 12 seats in the House of Assembly, with the NDP winning the remaining three. The outcome is identical to the one of the 2001 election.
On Dec. 8, Gonsalves was sworn in for a new mandate. The prime minister said he was ready to work with the opposition, but added that there is a limit to "how many slaps you can take on your cheek. (...) There is a government who governs and the opposition does not govern."
Political Players
Queen: Elizabeth II
Governor-General: Frederick Ballantyne
Prime minister: Ralph Gonsalves - ULP
Legislative Branch: The House of Assembly has 21 members; 15 members elected to five-year terms in single seat constituencies, and six appointed senators.
Results of Last Election:
House of Assembly - Dec. 7, 2005
Vote% | Seats | |
Unity Labour Party (ULP) | 55.26% | 12 |
New Democratic Party (NDP) | 44.68% | 3 |
Green Party (GP) | 0.06% | -- |
Appointed senators | -- | 6 |
