GEORGE PAYNE’s win in St Andrew landed him in the House of Assembly for the seventh time.
The Barbados Labour Party chairman trounced his competitors in last Thursday’s General Election, polling 4 063 votes to 1 123 for his nearest rival, the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) Irene Sandiford-Garner.
Other contenders were Solutions Barbados’ Cherie Pounder, who secured 80 votes; United Progressive Party’s Roli Roachford (53); and Independent Stephen Pollard, who finished with 40 votes.
The election count, done at The Alleyne School in Belleplaine, St Andrew, was late in comparison with previous elections.
This was due to a delay in the arrival of the special polling day box delivered at 11:12 p.m. It was two hours before results started to come in.
Returning officer Nolan Hall declared Payne, who was the only candidate on the scene, winner around 4:12 a.m. He got permission to have the announcement made with his supporters, who emerged from darkness in a sea of red: red shirts, trousers, shoes, hats and red horns.
A “very happy” Payne thanked the people, mingled with his supporters and took several photos before departing.
Meantime, Payne was upbeat on his first day on the job Monday as Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development. He toured his offices at Country Road, St Michael, with Minister in that ministry, political giant-killer Charles Griffith.
Griffith overturned 60 years of DLP dominance in St John when he defeated the Dems’ George Pilgrim in that rural riding.
“This is like going back to school for me as I was here before [as minister in the Owen Arthur Government],” said Payne. “It is a little too early to say exactly how the change has been, but I feel fairly comfortable.”
Griffith said it would be a new experience for him, but he was looking forward to it. (CL/BW)
