Bermuda elections hurt retail trade

A new trade survey claims the decision by Premier Ewart Brown to call the general election a week before Christmas, severely affected retailers.



The latest retail sales index shows that shoppers spent an estimated US$110 million in December.



This performance marked the lowest growth in December sales since 2001.



Motor vehicle dealers for example said they experienced negative sales for the fifth consecutive month, causing a decline of 16.6 percent.



Premier Brown’s Progressive Labour Party (PLP) won a third term in the December polls.