Pinewood MP Byron Woodside (right) was declared winner in the Pinewood election court recount. Allyson Gibson (right) lost in her bid to recapture the seat she lost to Woodside in the May 2 general elections.
Nassau Bahamas – Member of Parliament for the Pinewood constituency Byron Woodside was again confirmed the winner, after a recount in the election court on late Monday evening. Defeated candidate Sen. Allyson Maynard-Gibson lost to her rival after an all day recount.
Sen. Allyson Maynard-Gibson challenged in her petition to the court, that some 159 votes cast in the May 2nd election were illegal. Minister Woodside challenged 41 votes. Justices Anita Allen and Jon Isaacs ruled on Friday that some 110 ballots were indeed illegally cast and ruled that a scrutiny of the votes would be carried out and a recount done on Monday morning.
The recount began shortly after 10 am and continued through into evening when the vote count was declared around 10pm. Almost 12 hours later Justice Anita Allen announced the results of the recount and declared Byron Woodside winner of the Pinewood seat.
In a prepared statement Minister Woodside who is also the Minister for Youth in the Ministry of Education, shared his plans to continue working in the constituency and called for healing throughout the country.
“We have a lot to do as we continue to build our Bahamas, and with this behind me, I plan to move ahead with continuing making my contribution at the constituency, party and national levels,” the statement read.
“I call on the people of Pinewood, PLPs, FNMs, CDRs, undecided….this is now a time for healing and for moving forward. Let’s work together to make Pinewood and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas all it can be.”
“And so I say, ‘To God be the glory’ for he continues to work out his purpose in my life,” the Pinewood MP said.
Former Prime Minister Perry Christie also issued a statement shortly after 10pm on Monday, calling on PLPs around the country to ‘hold their heads high’.
“On behalf of the entire Progressive Liberal Party, I commend Sen. Hon. Allyson Maynard Gibson on a hard fought and honourable battle in the Election Court.
“To PLPs everywhere, I say that this day in the Election Court is but a skirmish along the way in the continuing battle to win the hearts and minds of the Bahamian people.
“PLPs can hold their heads high for having brought the judicial spotlight to bear upon the Parliamentary Registration process in the interests of our democracy.
“The Party will now study carefully the judgment of the Court in this matter, particularly as it relates to the number of election irregularities to which it refers and what this means for the integrity of our electoral process.” Mr Christie said.
