4 Dec 2003

Ruling UDP government to be given another term in Marshall Islands

11:32 am on 4 December 2003

Virtually all postal ballots have been counted and a result found in the Marshall Islands national election.

Marshall Islanders will return President Kessai Note and his United Democratic Party back to parliament with what appears to be a slightly larger majority.

Our correspondent in the Marshall Islands, Giff Johnson, says the ruling UDP has picked up at least two key seats in outer islands that were previously held by the opposition.

"And they've only lost one clearly, on Kwajalein, so it looks like they've picked up one seat in the election. My account is that they will have a majority with 20 of the 33 seats in parliament. So that will return President Note for a second four year term."