Barbuda People's Movement

Barbuda People's Movement
AbbreviationBPM
LeaderTrevor Walker
Founded1978[1]
Youth wingBPM Youth Foundation[2]
IdeologyDemocratic socialism
Barbudan nationalism
Federalism
Political positionLeft-wing
Seats in the Barbuda Council
11 / 11
Seats in the House of Representatives (Barbuda seat)
1 / 1
Seats in the Senate (Barbuda seats)
1 / 2
Website
http://barbudapeoplesmovement.org

The Barbuda People's Movement is a left-wing Barbudan nationalist political party in Antigua and Barbuda active only on the island of Barbuda. The party's symbol is the European fallow deer, national animal of Barbuda.[3][4] The party seeks the secession of Barbuda from Antigua and Barbuda.[5] The party is allied with the United Progressive Party.

History

The party first contested a general election in 1989, in which they won a single seat.[6] They held the seat in the 1994 and 1999. In the 2004 elections the candidates of the BPM (Trevor Walker) and the Barbuda People's Movement for Change both won 400 votes. In a rerun of the election on 20 April Walker received 408 votes, whilst BPMC candidate Arthur Nibbs won only 394. The party retained the seat again in the 2009 elections.[citation needed]

Barbuda’s secession request

The government is taking the unprecedented step of presenting the matter to the Parliament after it received a letter from the Barbuda Council requesting that discussions commence on the separation of Barbuda from Antigua.

In the letter dated 31 August 2020, Council Secretary Paul Nedd informed Cabinet Secretary Konata Lee that the Barbuda Council wished to secede from Antigua in order to determine a separate future for Barbuda and its people.[5]

Electoral results

House of Representatives

Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
1989 Hilbourne Frank 304 1.37
1 / 17
New 4th Opposition
1994 367 1.35
1 / 17
Steady 0 Increase 3rd Opposition
1999 418 1.26
1 / 17
Steady 0 Steady 3rd Opposition
2004 Trevor Walker 400 1.01
1 / 17
Steady 0 Steady 3rd Coalition
2009 474 1.14
1 / 17
Steady 0 Steady 3rd Coalition
2014 484 1.13
0 / 17
Decrease 1 Steady 3rd Extra-parliamentary
2018 558 1.43
1 / 17
Increase 1 Decrease 4th Opposition
2023 624 1.46
1 / 17
Steady 0 Increase 3rd Opposition

Barbuda Council

Election Leaders Votes Seats Position Government
No. % ± No. ±
1979[7] Hilbourne Frank [8] New 1st Majority
1981 Steady1st Majority
1983 Steady1st Majority
1985 ONR[9]
1987 Steady1st Majority
1989 Steady1st Majority
1991/1992 Steady1st Majority
1993/1994 Steady1st Majority
1996[8] [8] Decrease2nd ABLP
1997 Increase1st Majority
1999 Steady1st Majority
2001 Steady1st Majority
2003 Steady1st Majority
2005 Trevor Walker 1,988[10] 53.96 [10] Steady1st Majority
2007 [11][12] Steady1st Majority
2009 [13][14][8] Steady1st Majority
2011 1,679[15] 48.78 [15][8] Steady1st Majority
2013 1,994[16] 46.49
5 / 11
[16][14]
Decrease2nd ABLP
2015
3 / 11
[17]
Decrease2 Steady2nd ABLP
2017 2,983[18] 51.66
5 / 11
[19]
Increase2 Steady2nd ABLP
2019
9 / 11
Increase4 Increase1st Majority
2021 2,303[20][21][22] 63.18
9 / 11
Steady0 Steady1st Majority
2023 2,636[23] 63.85
11 / 11
Increase2 Steady1st Majority

References

  1. ^ "Barbuda People's Movement (BPM)".
  2. ^ "Caribbean Elections | Barbuda People's Movement".
  3. ^ "From Icon of Empire to National Emblem: the Fallow Deer of Barbuda".
  4. ^ "Antigua Election 2023: ABEC releases party symbols for Jan 18 polls | Loop Caribbean News". Loop News.
  5. ^ a b "Barbuda's secession request goes to Parliament". Antigua News Room. 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  6. ^ Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, pp69-70 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  7. ^ "THE BARBUDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT CHAPTER 44" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  8. ^ a b c d e Pat (2012-08-19). "ALP candidates announced for March 2013 Council election". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-24. The Barbuda Council has been controlled by the BPM since the first election was held around 35 years ago. The ALP gained control for a brief period in 1996.
  9. ^ Banks, Arthur S.; Day, Alan J.; Muller, Thomas C. (1 February 2016). Political Handbook of the World 1998. Springer. ISBN 9781349149513.
  10. ^ a b pj67admin (2005-03-23). "Barbuda Council Election Day". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ pj67admin (2007-03-01). "Barbuda Council elections". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ pj67admin (2007-03-23). "Barbudan Council Election Results". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ pj67admin (2013-01-08). "Result of the BPM Primaries". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ a b "Caribbean Elections | Members of the Senate of Antigua and Barbuda 2009 - 2014". www.caribbeanelections.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  15. ^ a b pj67admin (2011-04-04). "Barbuda Council Election Results". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ a b pj67admin (2013-02-18). "The Results". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "BPM are back - two more seats in Council". Barbudaful. 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  18. ^ barbudaful (2017-03-30). "BPM bring back Council". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  19. ^ "It's done … time to move on". Antigua Observer Newspaper. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  20. ^ "Clean Sweep for BPM". 30 March 2021.
  21. ^ barbudaful (2021-03-18). "Council elections March 29th 2021". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  22. ^ "Barbuda Council Elections 2021 Results". www.abec.gov.ag. Archived from the original on 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  23. ^ Simon, Samantha (2023-04-01). "Barbuda People's Movement celebrates the victory of its 4 candidates in the Barbuda Council election on 29th March 2023". Antigua Observer Newspaper. Retrieved 2023-04-01.