Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says he is not interested in a bulletproof official vehicle even as a politician has outlined on radio how to “guarantee fatalities” in Gonsalves’ security convoy.
“I not interested in bulletproof vehicle, and, in so far as my security is concerned, I have been advised by those who provide it that I mustn’t comment on it,” Gonsalves said in response to a reporter’s question at a press briefing.
“But I will tell you this, I know that I am covered by the blood. I know that I am. And that’s why I do not fear anything,” said Gonsalves, who is also Minister of National Security.
“The worst that can happen in these circumstances is that my demise is accelerated. But I have had a good run. I am almost at the three score and ten,” said Gonsalves, who turns 70 on Aug. 8.
“So if anybody think I have any sense of worry about these matters, they are fooling themselves. I am quite calm about these things, but I know that people in the country are very concerned. Right-thinking people, and naturally, persons who are closed to me, would be very concerned. But, as to myself, it matters me not, frankly,” the Prime Minister said.
Gonsalves had earlier read from a memo from state officials, containing what he said was the transcript of part of a Jan. 30 radio broadcast.
He said that during the Luzette King-hosted “Global Highlight” on NICE Radio that day, Kadmiel McFee, the SVG Green Party’s candidate for East St. George in the Dec. 9 general elections, outlined “’how to get the target’ — meaning me”.
Gonsalves quoted McFee as saying:
“And you look at the way they escort the Prime Minister in G7. In front of him, you have a massive bunch of police officers, another 12 to 13 in the back of the truck and another jeep behind him with 12 to 13.
“And you call that tactical policing? That’s not tactical policing. That’s a joke. Because I am not trying to incite something here, but if someone was after Ralph Gonsalves, they get him. They get him simply because all they have to do is aim for the target at the front with automatic and they guarantee fatalities in the same, and in the back, and they guarantee fatalities and what you got, you got Ralph Gonsalves in the so-called bulletproof soft-skin vehicle driving around now left on his own to wonder.”
Gonsalves said it is “completely false” that his police escort is so large.
“I just want the public, because you may not hear — here is somebody, who I have been advised was once a police officer, advising listeners ‘how to get him’, meaning me; ‘how to get the target’, meaning me, from behind and in front,” Gonsalves said.
“Of course, I don’t know where anybody get the idea that the vehicle is bulletproof,” he said, adding that he just wants the public to know the sort of things which are being said.
Gonsalves said some very unbelievable, crazy things are being said on social media about what is to be done to him, his family, and his property, “in terms of criminal activities against us and against other people too”.
He spoke of “fires and attempted fires”, adding, “And the people of this country can draw their own conclusions about what has taken place.”
He said the statements are not only being broadcast on social media, but also on a radio station that has a license.
“… in heaven’s name, how could this be responsible? How could this be responsible? And this is being spoken by someone, who I don’t know if he got 10 votes in an election.”
In the Dec. 9 general elections, McFee garnered 13 votes compared to 2,528 by Linton Lewis of the main opposition New Democratic Party and 3,135 to Camillo Gonsalves of the ruling Unity Labour Party.
The Prime Minister told the press conference that he was sorry that he had to speak about McFee’s comments “because it is not the gentleman I am so much concerned about, but this is where broadcasting has come?
“This is where political antipathy has come? St. Vincent and the Grenadines must be the freest country in the world, must be the freest country where anybody can get up and say anything that they want and that there are no consequences,” said Gonsalves who, at the same press conference, accused SVGTV of having a bias against him.
“And then that radio station (NICE Radio) would want to send the prime minister an apology about something else?” he told reporters and media audiences.
“I just want to tell the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I am doing my work for which you have elected me. I am just drawing to your attention because you may not have known about it.
“Let me hasten to say that none of this frightens me in any personal way, but right-thinking persons should be revolted against any political organisation which associates itself with persons who permit, who allow, who engender, this kind of garbage,” Gonsalves said.
But comment is not free people who want to comment are frightened to do so.
If Gonsalves is loved by all the people as he claims why must he have not just a huge security guard but a whole security policy and a squadron of police standing by, along with the special branch creeping about spying for him, trying to sniff out those that oppose him, attending NDP meetings and making notes and taking recordings. And you call that freedom of speech or anything else when it comes to that.
This is not in defense of fickle-minded and fanatically disturbed Kadmiel McFee, but in defense of decency and fairness. McFee never outlined how to get a target as implied. That is wrong, plain wrong. Mc Fees criticism was simply leveled at the RSVGPF, and he was simply outlining his disgust at the way some officers behave, in particular the so called Black Squad, and his word on the program Call It George not Global Highlights, were If you take a look at the conduct of the Police as they drive about St Vincent here in their jeeps we have some twelve and thirteen police officers packed up in the back of the truck calling themselves Black Squad You look at the way they escort the Prime Minister in G#7, in front of him as quoted above etc . Taken into context you get a correct understanding of what, and how this statement was meant to be understood. When taken out of context like what is happening now, we get nothing but misrepresentations of the facts culminating in lies, in one word “UNTRUTHS”. This needs to stop!
Whether its Gonsalves or anyone, this line of reasoning on the public airwaves is unacceptable. Regardless of context, any suggestion or inference that seeks to bring harm to anyone should have been repudiated by the moderator and all parties involved in said discussion.
The biggest problem with folks on talk radio in Vincyland, is that they don’t have any filter. They seem to think that “freedom of speech” gives them the right to TALK CLOTH on the public airwaves as though they are in a rum shop or in their private homes. We also seem to believe that freedom of speech is universally applied through out the civilized world. We in Vincyland are governed under the Common law system as in the US, but albeit in a far more rigid fashion. And in other parts of the world, the Civil law is the legal system of choice. In Germany and other parts of Europe, denying the Holocaust is a crime, while its perfectly fine in the US to do so. In the US, if you say any “fighting words” to someone in the street, you are not protected by any freedom of speech…I am merely glossing over these laws to make the point that folks in Vincyland always talking about freedom of speech as though they are living under such draconian laws. No that’s not the case at all, we simply need to have some discipline when we go on the public airwaves or saying stuff in print media.
In the US THERE IS LIMITED FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION TO DEFAMATION. Public figures have to prove with “convincing clarity” that a defamatory statement was made with “actual malice”. In Vincyland? THERE IS NO SUCH F–KING BURDEN ON PUBLIC FIGURES LIKE GONSALVES TO OVERCOME…because that’s the laws we are governed under NOT THOSE IN THE US!!! FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS ALIVE AND WELL IN VINCYLAND.
Now, had this fool made those comments in the US about the President, its very likely the Secret Service and the FBI would be paying him a visit, if only to ascertain his motives.
The so called PM is the biggest [CLOTH TALKER] so I figure the people of SVG and Mr. McPhee to be more precise, is possibly leading by Wolf’s example. So, if an example is to set for “Talk Cloth”they have to start with Wolf.
Anita, I guess personal responsibility is a foreign concept to you.
Teacherfang, it is good to know, you know how the concept works -:)
And, oh, it’s not foreign to you…