Progressive Labour Party stalwarts Ottiwell Simmons and Nelson Bascome scored a crushing victory in Pembroke East which served to further underline the
Mr. Bascome topped the polls for the second election running with 1,098 votes followed closely by former union leader Mr. Simmons on 1,061.
The United Bermuda Party's Michael Williams and David Petty trailed badly with 191 and 184 votes respectively.
"It is always good to win but I must thank God first, the constituents second,'' said Mr. Bascome. "The constituents came out and they had their say by voting en bloc for Brother Simmons and myself.'' For Mr. Simmons, last night proved the sweetest of his seven General Elections spanning four decades.
"Me and my partner are quite elated,'' he said. "We worked hard, we pushed hard. The people of the area, the Pembroke East voters, they put pressure on us and we want to thank them for their support.
"They have been really great to Nelson Bascome and myself. It's not only a victory for the constituency, it is a victory for the country. Having said that, it is my wish and I'm sure all my colleagues' wish that we will pay all the people of Bermuda the gratitude that we feel for them and be the best Government we can be.'' Such was Mr. Simmons' joy that the confusion over his misplaced glasses when the count began was soon a distant memory.
The landslide apparently had such a dizzy effect on first-time candidate Mr.
Petty that he mistakenly believed the UBP had improved its stock in the PLP stronghold.
"This is wonderful. Everybody was nice, except for a few who voiced their displeasure with the Government,'' he said after exiting the Victor Scott Primary School polling station.
"I was happy that we increased our popular vote. Mike (Williams) had increased it even further than I have.'' But, in fact, the UBP hopefuls gained fewer votes than their predecessors in 1993 (Keetha Lowe 211, Ramadhin Smith 206) despite a significantly increased turn-out.
Mr. Williams, who ran a failed campaign in the same constituency in 1985, nevertheless added that he was "quite pleased'' with his performance.
RESULTS Nelson Bascome (PLP) 1098 Ottiwell Simmons (PLP) 1061 Michael Williams (UBP) 191 David Petty (UBP) 184
