According to the Elections Office, the ULP won nine of 15 seats in Parliament, an increase of three seats in the majority of a previous seat it had enjoyed in the last two general elections.

It is the first time that a political party has won five consecutive general elections in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

‘Time for celebration’

In a message posted on his Facebook page, Gonsalves thanked voters for returning the PUL to power. "It's time for celebration. There are five in line," he wrote, as party supporters gathered to celebrate the new election victory.

Gonsalves easily won his North Central Windward seat he has been representing since 2001, brushing aside the two other candidates in Chieftain Neptune of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) and Kadmiel McFee of the CVG Green Party.

Jubilant supporters of Unity Labour Party in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Dr Godwin E. L. Friday easily retains seat

NDP leader Dr Godwin E. L. Friday, 61, who led the party into a general election for the first time, easily retained the Northern Grenadines seat he has represented in Parliament since 2001. He polled 2 123 votes as against 458 for the ULP’s Carlos Williams.

According to CMC, the NDP, as has been customary, swept the two seats on the sister isle of the Grenadines. The other seat, in the Southern Grenadines was won by Terrance Ollivierre, who defeated Edwin Snagg by a margin of 1153 to 559.

One of the causalities of the election was Health Minister Luke Brown, who was defeated by new comer, Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble in the East Kingstown constituency that had been represented by former NDP leader Arnhim Eustace, a former prime minister and finance minister, who quit active politics last year.

Brown, who polled 2 306 votes was defeated in the last two elections by Eustace and had hoped to win the seat in his absence. Bramble polled 2 547

In the North Leeward, the ULP’s Carlos James won by seven votes against the incumbent Ronald Mathews, polling 2 287. James lost the seat in the 2015 election by 12 votes.

Live coverage of the SVG general elections was aired on CBN Radio 90.9FM; CBN Television Channel 101; Flow TV & live online @www.cbnvirginislands.com.