Montserrat: Former Premier Reuben Meade makes a comeback with victory in general election

Former Premier Reuben Meade has successfully led his newly established United Alliance (UA) to victory in the general elections, as revealed by preliminary figures from the Montserrat Electoral Commission early Friday morning. The UA secured five out of the nine seats in the Legislative Assembly, followed by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) with three seats, while the incumbent Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) managed to win just one seat.

The election resulted in the defeat of outgoing Premier Easton Taylor-Farrell, newly appointed MCAP leader Samuel Joseph, and former parliament speaker Osborne Shirley. The sole winner for MCAP is the outgoing agriculture minister, while former Premier Donaldson Romeo, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2019 general election, is among the three successful candidates from the PDM.

“We will govern for the people of Montserrat, and we will act accordingly,” stated Meade, 70. When he announced his return to active politics in January, he emphasized that it was “not about ego, image, or legacy, but entirely about serving the people.”

Meade, who was the island’s first premier from 2010 to 2014 and served as chief minister twice between 1991 and 2010, called for unity to advance the island’s progress.

“I urge everyone to work hard for the country’s advancement, including civil servants. Let’s collaborate to meet our timelines,” said Meade, an economist who has also worked with the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). He announced that the swearing-in ceremony, expected to take place later on Friday, “will not be held behind closed doors in the Governor’s Office.” “It will be a public event where our supporters and the people of Montserrat can witness the ceremony.”

Earlier, Taylor-Farrell expressed that he was “calm and relaxed” regarding the election outcome, confident that his administration had initiated a development process for Montserrat during his five-year term. “My goal is to ensure the prosperity of the people of Montserrat,” he stated.

Political analysts in Montserrat observe that MCAP has experienced the same fate as previous administrations over the past 28 years, with no incumbent government winning a second consecutive term.