BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis (AP) -- Prime Minister Denzil Douglas'
                   Labor Party frustrated opposition leader Kennedy Simmonds' bid to return
                   to power by holding onto its parliamentary majority in elections in the
                   twin-island Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

                   With results from Monday's election still trickling in, Labor had won six seats
                   in the 11-member National Assembly and was leading in the two other
                   districts at stake in St. Kitts; Simmonds' People's Action Movement had
                   won none. Eight of the 11 seats are based in St. Kitts, and three in the
                   smaller island of Nevis.

                   Both Douglas and Deputy Prime Minister Sam Condor were re-elected by
                   wide margins.

                   The People's Action Movement, which governed from 1980-1995, had
                   sought to oust Labor by winning at least three seats in St. Kitts and forming
                   a coalition with the winners of the seats in Nevis.

                   But its chances were dealt a blow when party leader Hugh Heyliger -- the
                   only incumbent from the People's Action Movement _ was defeated by
                   Labor's Jacinth Henry-Martin.

                   In Nevis, the Concerned Citizens Movement won two seats: Nevis Premier
                   Vance Amory was re-elected, and the CCM's Malcolm Guishard also won.
                   The Nevis Reformation Party's Patrice Nisbewtt claimed the third seat.

                   Going into the election, Labor had seven of St. Kitts' eight seats. More than
                   34,000 residents were eligible to vote in the nation of 48,000 people.

                   Douglas had warned at a weekend rally that "instability and confusion"
                   would ensue if Simmonds' party allied with the Nevis parties. The islands of
                   St. Kitts and Nevis have an uneasy union that barely survived an August
                   1998 secession referendum in Nevis, where residents complain they don't
                   receive their fair share of federal spending.

                   Elected in 1995, Douglas pointed to his efforts to promote resort
                   construction in tourism-dependent St. Kitts, salary hikes for public servants,
                   and efforts to combat crime. His cause was boosted by the Feb. 19
                   extradition of Charles Miller, an alleged drug trafficker who intimidated many
                   on the islands, to the United States.

                   Simmonds had assailed Douglas' failed efforts to rejuvenate the sugar
                   industry and deal with St. Kitts' dlrs 192 million debt. Douglas blamed five
                   hurricanes that have slammed the islands in four years for frustrating
                   economic development.

                    Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.