People's Action Movement

The People's Action Movement (PAM) is a political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The party currently holds four (largest share) of the 11 seats in the National Assembly.

People's Action Movement
AbbreviationPAM
LeaderShawn Richards
ChairpersonValentine Lindsey
FounderWilliam Valentine Herbert
Founded19 January 1965
IdeologyConservatism
Political positionCentre-right
National affiliationTeam Unity
International affiliationCaribbean Democrat Union
Seats
4 / 11

History

The party first contested national elections in 1966, when they received 35.0% of the vote and won two seats.[1] 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.[2][3]

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.[4] 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 year # of
votes		 % of
vote		 # of
overall seats won		 +/– Outcome
1966 4,936 35.0 (#2)
2 / 10
 2 Official Opposition
1971 5,397 37.0 (#2)
1 / 9
 1 Official Opposition
1975 2,859 23.4 (#2)
2 / 9
 1 Official Opposition
1980 4,990 33.9 (#2)
3 / 9
 1 Coalition
1984 8,596 47.6 (#1)
6 / 11
 3 Majority
1989 8,090 45.4 (#1)
6 / 11
 Majority
1993 6,449 33.6 (#2)
4 / 11
 2 Minority
1995 7,530 34.7 (#2)
1 / 11
 3 Opposition
2000 6,462 29.6 (#2)
0 / 11
 1 No representation
2004 7,161 31.7 (#2)
1 / 11
 1 Opposition
2010 8,393 32.2 (#2)
2 / 11
 1 Official Opposition
2015 8,452 27.9 (#2)
4 / 11
 2 Coalition
2020 8,067 28.91 (#2)
4 / 11
 Coalition
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References
  1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, pp576-578 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. "Ambassador Her Excellency Constance V Mitcham to be Honoured at Annual SPBS Awards Gala". Times Caribbean. 23 August 2015.
  3. "Women Now Running "tings" in Labour & PAM". MyVuewNews.com. 20 May 2013.
  4. 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.
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