Above: the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly (CJ Photo)

By Alexander Britell

The opposition People’s Progressive Movement has won a plurality of seats in the Cayman Islands’ election, according to official results.

The PPM, led by Alden McLaughlin, took 9 of 18 seats, one shy of a majority. Five independent candidates won seats, while former Premier McKeeva Bush’s United Democratic Party won four seats.

The PPM will have to form a coalition government to lead the territory, with McLaughlin likely the British Overseas Territory’s next Premier.

The results mean that the embattled Bush, who sought to return to power after being arrested and charged with corruption, will not be Premier, although he did return to the Legislative Assembly with a victory in the West Bay district, where his UDP swept all four seats.

Current Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who replaced Bush after he was removed in a no-confidence vote, won her Cayman Brac and Little Cayman seat running as an independent.

The PPM had the most success in the large George Town district, winning four of six seats, along with Bodden Town, where it won all four seats.

Bush’s UDP won all four seats in the West Bay district.

See below for the full list of MLAs:

Electoral District of George Town
Kurt Tibbetts – First Elected Member for George Town (PPM
Roy McTaggart – Second Elected Member for George Town (independent)
Alden McLaughlin – Third Elected Member for George Town (PPM)
Marco Archer – Fourth Elected Member for George Town (PPM)
Winston Conolly- Fifth Elected Member for George Town (independent)
Joey Hew – Sixth Elected Member for George Town (PPM)

Electoral District of Bodden Town
Anthony Eden – First Elected Member for Bodden Town (PPM)
Osbourne Bodden – Second Elected Member for Bodden (PPM) Town
Wayne Panton – Third Elected Member for Bodden Town (PPM)
Alva Suckoo – Fourth Elected Member for Bodden Town (PPM)

Electoral District of West Bay
W McKeeva Bush – First Elected Member for West Bay (UDP)
Tara Rivers – Second Elected Member for West Bay UDP
Bernie Bush – Third Elected Member for West Bay (UDP)
Capt. Eugene Ebanks – Fourth Elected Member for West Bay (UDP)

Electoral District of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman
Moses Kirkconnell – First Elected Member for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman  (PPM)
Juliana O’Connor-Connolly – Second Elected Member for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman (independent)

Electoral District of North Side Denison
Ezzard Miller – First Elected Member for North Side (independent)

Electoral District of East End
Arden McLean – First Elected Member for East End (independent)