By David Adams
MIAMI, April 10 (Reuters) – The Bahamian parliament has been
dissolved and a general election will be held on May 7, Prime
Minister Hubert Ingraham announced in a speech on Tuesday
evening.
The election call came as no surprise as elections were due
to be held this year under the constitution of the island chain
off Florida’s east coast.
The ruling Free National Movement is seeking re-election for
a second five-year term in a two-party contest with the
opposition Progressive Liberal Party led by Perry Christie.
This year there are some 172,000 registered voters in the
Bahamas, the highest number in Bahamian history and 22,000 more
than in the last election five years ago, Ingraham said.
For the first time in Bahamas history the government has
invited international observers from the Organization of
American States, Caricom and the United States to monitor the
vote, he added.
(Reporting by David Adams; Editing by Jackie Frank)
