Bermuda opposition party wins election ends 14 years of labour rule

Outgoing Premier and finance minister Paula Cox lost her seat as the PLP’s 14 year reign came to an abrupt halt. The OBA reversed the PLPs 24 seats to its 10 seats in the current Parliament to take over the reins of power in the country.

Other prominent candidates within the PLP who lost their seats are Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith, who steered the PLP to its first election victory in 1998, and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Patrice Minors. None of the 15 independent candidates won their seats.

The new Premier will be OBA leader Craig Cannonier, who is a relative novice to the country’s political scene. His party won 52 percent of the vote to the PLPs 47 percent. Turnout was relatively high with over 90 percent of the 43,767 registered voters participating in the poll.

The OBA campaigned on a platform of choice and change even as unemployment reached historically high levels of 10 percent and the domestic debt ballooned to US $1.4 billion.