New St. George?s Mayor E. Michael Jones will cry no more as town crier after his close win in the Municipal Elections last night.

Mr. Jones, who had been town crier for five years was glad to give up his old position for something new.

After winning by a mere three points, he said: ?I am looking forward to the challenge and the new role. I thank the voters for putting their trust in me.?

Close contenders in the mayoral challenge were alderman Mariea Caisey, with 87 votes, and former alderman Clarence Ross Smith, with 84 votes.

Mr. Jones said that he was looking forward to working with the new council and looking at ways of making St. George?s a better place.

?We will be looking at the hotels and also at the St. George?s Police station,? said Mr. Jones last night. ?I know that the Corporation is also looking at dealing with the sewage situation and raising needed finances.

?I am not going to disappear, I will be all over the place, I am still going to be the person around town ? I had my time as Town Crier and it was time for me to move on.? said Mr. Jones.

Former Mayor Henry Hayward said there were 355 eligible voters and 263 or 73 percent came out to vote yesterday.

The former mayor said: ?It was good to see so many people come out to vote.?

The new aldermen are United Bermuda Party Senator Kenneth Bascome, who had a 48 vote lead on other contenders, Edward E. Benevides, had 152 votes, Louis R. DeSilva had 142 and Beau Evans was unsuccessful with 118 votes.

Returning alderman, Mr. Bascome said that he was pleased to be voted in again and that he planned to support the new mayor in any way that he could.

The race of the six common councillors was closely fought and the end result saw newcomer Nicholas Duffy win the majority of the vote with 165, Jill Raine was close on his heels with 164 votes, Stephen Hollis was voted in with 156 votes, Clarence E. Minors with 143, William D. Davis, slid in with 140 and sadly Sonia Whayman, who had 137, was not elected last night.

Mr. Duffy said it felt good to be trusted by the electorate adding: ?I am grateful for the people who voted for me, I am grateful that they have entrusted me,? said Mr. Duffy, who would like to see the hotels in the east end re-opened.

Nominee and incumbent alderman Louis (Red) DeSilva has been with the Corporation for the past nine years. He said he was more of a resident?s representative and lobbied for the rights of St. George?s inhabitants in as far as the impact of tourism.