By: T. Chapman
The vibrant Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds of the Nevis Reformation Party was declared winner in the Nevis 5 by-election which was contested earlier today.
Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds defeated Keith Scarborough of the Concerned Citizens Movement by 323 votes.
Supervisor of Elections, Elvin Bailey made the announcement after 9 this evening. Cleone Stapleton Simmonds captured 514 votes while Keith Scarborough received 191 votes.
Her victory is historic; she is now the first elected NRP woman parliamentarian, the second woman Parliamentarian to represent NRP and the 4th woman female parliamentarian.
Hon. Jean Harris, (CCM) the former St. James representative was the first elected woman parliamentarian while the late Hon. Burlyn Clarke (NRP) was the first woman parliamentarian and nominated female representative. Hon. Hazel Brandy Williams is the third female parliamentarian and second nominated female representative; she currently serves as Junior Minister in the Concerned Citizens Movement Cabinet with responsibility for Health and Gender Affairs.
Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds who is a lawyer by profession and who hails from the village of Cotton Ground was well received by the constituents of St. Thomas’. During the campaign, she demonstrated her oratory skills, her passion and vision for her constituents and by extension Nevisians.
The victory by the Mrs. Stapleton Simmonds comes as no surprise as the constituency is a strong hold for the party.
Former Premier and representative of that constituency the Hon. Joseph Walcott Parry, first won that seat in 1987 and represented the people of St. Thomas’ for some 32 years before his resignation on the 31st of December 2019. The late first Premier of Nevis, Sir Simeon Daniel was the first elected representative for NRP in the St. Thomas’ Parish.
During the campaign Hon. Joseph Parry endorsed his fellow villager and lent his support throughout.
The distribution of votes were as follows:
Station 5 (1A): Cleone Stapleton Simmonds-113- Keith Scarborough- 34
Station 5 (1B): Cleone Stapleton Simmonds-83 – Keith Scarborough- 41
Station 5(2A): Cleone Stapleton Simmonds-119 – Keith Scarborough- 42
Station 5 (2B): Cleone Stapleton Simmonds -119 – Keith Scarborough-38
Station 5(3): Cleone Stapleton Simmonds- 80 – Keith Scarborough – 36
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