People's Action Movement

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People's Action Movement
AbbreviationPAM
Leader Shawn Richards
Chairperson Azard Gumbs
FounderWilliam Valentine Herbert
Founded19 January 1965
Ideology Conservatism
Republicanism
Political position Centre-right
National affiliationOne Movement (since 2022) [1]
Team Unity (2015–2022)
Regional affiliation Caribbean Democrat Union
International affiliation International Democrat Union
National Assembly
1 / 11
Website
https://pamskn.org/

The People's Action Movement (PAM) is a political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The party currently holds one of the 11 seats in the National Assembly. PAM operates only in Saint Kitts and for the 2022 general election is in a 'One Movement' alliance with the Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) operating in Nevis, following the breakdown of the governing Team Unity alliance. PAM is a member of the Caribbean Democrat Union, the regional affiliate of the International Democrat Union and shares close links with other centre-right party members in the Caribbean such as the Jamaica Labour Party. [2]

Contents

History

The party first contested national elections in 1966, when they received 35.0% of the vote and won two seats. [3] They were reduced to a single seat in the 1971 elections, but regained their second seat in 1975. In the 1980 elections they won three seats, and were able to form a coalition government with the Nevis Reformation Party to oust the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) from power for the first time since 1952. PAM leader Kennedy Simmonds led the country to independence in 1983, and the party won six of the eleven seats in the 1984 elections to remain in power. They again won six seats in 1989. The 1993 elections saw the both parties winning four seats.

Constance V. Mitcham, the first women to sit in the national assembly, was elected as a PAM candidate in 1984 and served until 1995. [4] [5]

The PAM remained in power, but early elections were held in 1995, which saw the PAM reduced to just one seat (with Simmonds losing his). They lost their single seat in the 2000 elections, but regained it in 2004, with Shawn Richards winning constituency no. 5. In the 2010 elections they won two seats.

Lindsay Grant served as Leader of the PAM until his resignation in July 2012. [6] After Grant's resignation, Shawn K. Richards and Eugene A. Hamilton contested for the party leadership in 2012; Richards came out the victor and became 4th Leader of the PAM and Hamilton became Deputy Leader.

Team Unity

Prior to the 2015 general elections, the People's Action Movement formed a political alliance, known as Team Unity, with the Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) from sister island Nevis and the newly formed People's Labour Party, which was led by former SKNLP members Timothy Harris and Sam Condor.

Election results

Election yearParty leader# of
votes
 % of
vote
# of
overall seats won
+/–Outcome
1966 William Valentine Herbert 4,93635.0 (#2)
2 / 10
Increase2.svg2Official Opposition
1971 5,39737.0 (#2)
1 / 9
Decrease2.svg1Official Opposition
1975 2,85923.4 (#2)
2 / 9
Increase2.svg1Official Opposition
1980 Kennedy Simmonds 4,99033.9 (#2)
3 / 9
Increase2.svg1Coalition – Majority
1984 8,59647.6 (#1)
6 / 11
Increase2.svg3Coalition – Majority
1989 8,09045.4 (#1)
6 / 11
Steady2.svgCoalition – Majority
1993 6,44933.6 (#2)
4 / 11
Decrease2.svg2Coalition – Minority
1995 7,53034.7 (#2)
1 / 11
Decrease2.svg3Opposition
2000 6,46229.6 (#2)
0 / 11
Decrease2.svg1No representation
2004 Lindsay Grant 7,16131.7 (#2)
1 / 11
Increase2.svg1Opposition
2010 8,39332.2 (#2)
2 / 11
Increase2.svg1Official Opposition
2015 Shawn Richards 8,45227.9 (#2)
4 / 11
Increase2.svg2Coalition
2020 8,06728.91 (#2)
4 / 11
Steady2.svgCoalition (2020−22)
Opposition (2022)
2022 4,73716.13 (#3)
1 / 11
Decrease2.svg3Opposition

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References

  1. "MOVING PEOPLE FORWARD (Manifesto 2022)" (PDF). PAM People's Action Movement. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  2. "Andrew Holness on Twitter". 18 November 2018.
  3. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, pp576-578 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
  4. "Ambassador Her Excellency Constance V Mitcham to be Honoured at Annual SPBS Awards Gala". Times Caribbean. 23 August 2015.
  5. "Women Now Running "tings" in Labour & PAM". MyVuewNews.com. 20 May 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. Hewlett, LK (13 July 2012). "Lindsay Grant Resigns as Leader of PAM". St. Kitts & Nevis Observer. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2013.