 February
25, 2008: Following an unprecedented request to have the
appointments of two of his ministers revoked on Thursday,
Chief Minister of Montserrat Dr. Lowell Lewis, led a
new government of national unity into office on Friday. His
ruling team now consists of three parties which contested
the last election including former Chief Minister
Reuben Meade of the Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP).
Montserrat last had elections on 31 May 2006, when 3
parties contested 9 seats. From A 77% turnout of the
3000 strong electorate, Dr. Lewis received the highest
number of votes, followed by 4 MCAP candidates. The
remaining seats went to 3 NPLM and an independent. The
government formed then, led by Dr Lewis, was a coalition
between the MDP, the NPLM and an independent.Dr. Lewis,
the only member of his Montserrat Democratic Party (MDP) to
hold a seat in Parliament, appeared on state radio on
Thursday 21 February 2008, to announce that his ruling
coalition, was no more and that he was teaming up with MCAP
in a new political alliance.
"This is probably how the mix should have resulted after
the election. It's a pity we did not have a situation
similar to this at that time," said Dr. Lewis.
"Unfortunately there were several comments made which
more or less reinforced in my view that I did not have
enough support to take a budget through. There had been
other incidents where members of my Cabinet were lobbying
other members for a change of leadership. So it was quite
clear to me that if I wanted to continue serving as Chief
Minister I would have to seek support from elsewhere in the
House. I did that and successfully came to some arrangement
with the Opposition MCAP group," he said. As a result Dr.
Lewis said Montserratians would be better off with the
changes made to the government. |
