Over the moon

Added by Barbados Today on February 22, 2013.
Saved under Local News, Slider

by Shakeda Williams

BLP first timer Edmund Hinkson was over the moon this morning as he retained the St. James North seat for the party.

He beat the DLP’s Harry Husbands to cinch the victory.

Hinkson an attorney-at-law said he was “overjoyed” at the result, given that most of his life as a teenager he had planned for it.

“I thank God for giving me the strength mentally and physically to reach this stage of my life. My dad, who would have brought me to BLP politics, died two and a half years ago and I know he is looking down at this proud moment. Also my mum as well [who's] still alive, my family, wife, daughter and son, my supporters who are outside waiting to celebrate with me — of course I could not be standing here without them.

“I look forward to serving the people of St. James North with the passion and commitment which they deserve. We have tremendous challenges ahead of us in terms of finding solutions to the large unemployment rate in the constituency… The other issues in the constituency I will certainly give my all and I look forward to representing my people in Parliament,” he told reporters at the Gordon Greenidge Primary School after Returning Officer Anthony Greaves declared him the duly elected candidate.

Hinkson said he was confident and that he had “put in the work” to bring home the riding again for the Bees.

“I clearly utilised social media and my daughter Erica has been dealing with that aspect of the campaign… [We] saw a need for the development of housing, disabilities and so on via that use,” he added.

Hinkson’s victory was bitter sweet however, as his party failed to capture the majority of the 30 seats to form the next government.

The DLP won 16 seats to the BLP 13s, with the votes in one constituency being recounted.

The ballot boxes arrived at the counting centre around 7:30 p.m, and 30 minutes later Hinkson arrived and began pacing around the corridors of the school.

While his family — mother Pamela, wife Beverly, daughter Erica, son Gregory — all jumped and screamed, his supporters who arrived around 11:18 p.m were on the outside screaming “Hinkson! Hinkson! Hinkson!” as they raised placards and posters praising God shouting.