UDP hammered in Cayman
Raymond Hainey, Senior Reporter, BDA SUN
The United Democratic Party in the Cayman Islands has been trounced in an election likely to see a People’s Progressive Movement-led coalition take power.
The UDP, whose former Premier McKeeva Bush is facing corruption charges, retained only three seats after the poll — but PPM leader Aiden McLaughlin, whose party took a total of nine seats in the Legislative Assembly, remains one short of a majority.
But — with the election of five independents and one member of the People’s National Alliance (PNA) elected — a government is expected to be formed within the next few days.
The PPM said before the election that they were prepared to work with Independents Arden McLean and Ezzard Miller to form a government.
Mr McLaughlin told the Caymanian Compass newspaper: “We have got nine seats, so we have to go now and talk to everybody in the piece about their willingness to work with us.
“The country does not need any more division.”
Bush was removed as Premier of the Caribbean British territory in December last year by Governor Duncan Taylor after Mr Bush lost a vote of confidence in the Legislative Assembly. The country was governed by a group of former party members until the poll.
The final election tally was:
PPM: Nine seats
UDP: Three seats
PNA: One seat
Independents (endorsed by the Coalition for Cayman): Three seats
Independents: Two seats
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Related story:
Opposition party in Cayman Islands wins 9 of 18 seats to dominate new coalition gov’t
From FOX NEWS
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – Election officials in the Cayman Islands say the opposition party has won nine of 18 seats, one short of a majority needed to control the British territory’s legislature.
The results released Thursday mean that attorney Alden McLaughlin’s People’s Progressive Movement will be the dominant force in a coalition government.
Negotiations to choose the next leader are set to begin. Political analysts say McLaughlin is the presumed pick.
A former premier who was ousted from leadership last year amid a corruption probe won re-election to his seat. But McKeeva Bush’s United Democratic Party won just three seats overall.
Outgoing Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly was the lone member of her party to win re-election.
Independents will fill the rest of the seats, including four candidates endorsed by political advocacy group Coalition for Cayman.
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