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Governor of Anguilla, Julia Crouch. (Photo via CMC)
THE VALLEY, Anguilla, CMC -Governor Julia Crouch says she has received the official results of Wednesday’s general elections that resulted in Cora Richardson-Hodge becoming the first woman to head a government in this British Overseas Territory (BOT).
Crough said that the results from the Supervisor of Elections, Rodney Rey, showed that the main opposition Anguilla United Front (AUF) had won the polls.
“In accordance with Section 24(1) of the Anguilla Constitution Order, I will later today appoint Ms. Cora Richardson-Hodge as Premier of Anguilla. On the advice of the Premier, I will also appoint Ministers of the Crown and a Parliamentary Secretary,” said Crouch in a statement.
She said the Premier will advise her in due course on the assignment of specific portfolio responsibilities to individual Ministers.
“I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the Supervisor of Elections Mr Rodney Rey, the Deputy Supervisor of Elections Ms Maria Hughes, and all election officials for their hard work and dedication throughout the election period,” she added.
The Governor Crouch also commended Canon Reid Simon for his leadership of the Anguilla Independent Citizen Observers (AICO) and their committed efforts in observing the electoral process.
“The AICO will issue a preliminary statement on the election in due course. I am also grateful to the Royal Anguilla Police Force, under the leadership of Acting Commissioner Patterson, for ensuring a safe and secure election.
“Finally, my thanks to all the candidates who stood in this election and to the people of Anguilla for the orderly way in which this general election was conducted, a matter on which Anguilla can be rightly proud,” she said in the statement.
The AUF won eight of the 11 seats at the stake in the Parliament with the outgoing Anguilla Progressive Movement (APM) of Premier Dr Ellis L Webster, winning the other three seats. Webster was among the victorious candidates for the party.
Apart from Richardson-Hodge, the other victorious AUF candidates are Jose Vanterpool, Jeison Byran, Shelllya Rogers, Kyle Hodge, Cordell Richardson, Cardigan Connor and Evans McNiel.
The APM’s Haydn Hughes and Merrick Richardson will joing Webster on the opposition benches.
An estimated 12,432 registered voters were eligible to vote in the election here where 34 candidates were vying for 11 of the 13 seats in the House of Assembly. The other two seats are reserved for non-elected members.
In Anguilla, the 11 seats in the Parliament up for grabs, are determined by direct voting. Seven members are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.
The other four seats are assigned to ‘at-large’ candidates elected from the entire island by plurality at-large voting.
Voters may vote up to four candidates in the at-large seats. Seven seats are needed for a majority. Voters can choose up to four candidates in the at-large seats.
“To the people of Anguilla, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your unwavering support, well wishes, and prayers mean the world to us. Today, you showed up, you stood strong, and you made your voices heard.
“We promise to work with you and for you to listen, to serve, and to rally around you, just as you have rallied around us. Your faith in us fuels our commitment, and we are truly humbled by your trust,” the AUF said in a statement posted on its Facebook page, just after the preliminary results were announced just before midnight.
