Above: Montserrat

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The island of Montserrat has chosen a new government and a new Premier.

Donaldson Romeo’s People’s Democratic Movement won the British Overseas Territory’s elections last week in a resounding victory.

Romeo, who had been the Opposition Leader, succeeds former Premier Reuben Meade, who conceded following Thursday’s vote.

Romeo pledged bold action following his victory.

“There is nothing in that manifesto that we cannot do. I expect us to do even more,” said Romeo, who has officially been sworn in as Premier.

The PDM won around 50.1 percent of the votes, with around 35.3 percent for Meade’s Movement for Change and Prosperity.

That gave the PDM seven seats to two for the MCAP.

A total of 31 candidates competed for the nine Legislative Assembly seats.

Election turnout was around 71 percent on the island, which has been making a major development push to recover from the lasting effects of the devastating volcano of 1997.