Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. *Photo credit: Sean Douglas

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – The ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) has retained the Mahuat constituency after the Minister for Public Works and Infrastructural Development, Rayburn Blackmoore whipped his two opponents in the general election here on Friday.

The former national security minister polled  2, 134 votes as compared with 1,454 for Ronald Isidore of the United Workers Party (UWP) and a mere 56 for Johnston Boston of the Dominica Freedom party (DFP).

The DLP was also victorious in the Wesley constituency, after teacher Gloria Shillingford defeated Ezekiel Basil by a margin of 805 to 733.

The victory pushed the ruling party to within three seats of regaining the government, and it is comfortably leading in the Vielle Case, Colihaut, Mahaut, Roseau Central and Portsmouth constituencies.

The UWP has so far won the Salisbury, Marigot, and La Plaine constituencies.

There are 21 seats at stake in the election. And in the last election the DLP won 12 seats.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, who is hoping to lead his DLP into a third successive victory, is leading his opponent, Maynard Joseph of the UWP by a margin of 882 to 148 votes with just a handful of polling stations yet to give results.

The Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), which is the other major party contesting the elections, is not fearing well, with its leader, Judith Pestaina, a former international public servant facing a huge defeat in the Roseau Central constituency.