Dwight Sampson (MNI Alive Local Reporter)
Friday, February 3, 2017
Just over a month after residents of Montserrat went to the polls, and elected Dr Samuel Joseph to the Legislative Assembly, the newest member of the House will be sworn in on March 7th, 2017. The Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) candidate swept the polls towards a convincing victory in an election what was considered the lowest voter turnout in recent times.
Dr Joseph, who campaigned on introducing a new style of politics to Montserrat, defeated his nearest rivals via vote count - opponents Emile Duberry, and former party colleague Jermaine Wade. Wade, was dismissed from the party in November, 2016, after a falling out over him not being chosen to represent the party in the by-election over Dr Joseph. Wade subsequently declared his independent candidacy for the January 30th by-election.
The by-election was called due to the resignation of the former Leader of the Opposition and veteran politician Reuben T. Meade.
Since Meade’s resignation in late October, 2016, Opposition member Hon. Eastern Taylor Farrell has been serving as interim leader of the MCAP party. It is, however, uncertain when the Hon. Taylor Farrell will be sworn in as the substantive leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition by the island’s Governor.
According to sources connected tp the MCAP party, it is understood that the party is currently restructuring and regrouping in preparation for the 2019 general elections. New names to the political arena are alleged to be coming forward from within the MCAP camp; names to include the politically vocal Manager of the local branch of the St Patrick's Cooperative Credit Union (SPCCU) - Mr Peter D. A. Queeley, amongst others. It is also uncertain if long standing members of the party, such as Charles Kirnon, will return to frontline politics.
