KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Be careful lest you build a gallows for yourself.
That is the warning that Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves sent to Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace yesterday regarding Eustace’s seemingly shifting stance on the Argyle International Airport.
Eustace, a few days before the general elections last December, said that his New Democratic Party (NDP) had secured financing for the airport, which the NDP had previously described as a phantom project.
But last week, Eustace, in his Independence message, described the airport as “untimely and therefore unlikely”.
He said that Vincentians were awaiting word from the International Monetary Fund “as to its recommendations for dealing with our shrinking economy and worsening fiscal situation”.
Gonsalves responded to Eustace yesterday, during the Unity Labour Party’s Women’s Arm convention.
He cited the story of Haman, who was hung on a gallows he built for Mordecai, according to the Bible book of Esther.
“So, I make the point, that when they want to set gallows for us, they setting it for themselves … and that what happen with bad minded people,” Gonsalves said.
He told the gathering of ULP women that they have to read and ensure that party groups and councils have classes where party supporters “can read and study the party philosophy and programme and keep ourselves informed”.
The ULP leader further said that ULP supporters should listen to their leaders, “propagate what we are talking about and forget the divisions and the pulling and tugging and the conceit and the vanities”.
Gonsalves said that the ULP has done “quite good” since it came to office in March 2001.
The party won an historic third term for a labour government last December and Gonsalves said that the electorate will give the party a fourth term in office.
“And when we finish the Argyle International Airport, all their bad talking of it … will come back. They will choke on it,” he said, telling the ULP women to remember Eustace’s Independence message.
“… less than a year ago, when he wanted us to get our vote, it was timely. He call a press conference hastily one week before the election say ‘Ah go build it’. Remember that? And he said ‘I go geh the money from companies overseas but ah can’t tell you the name, ah can’t tell yo the terms’. In other words, yo must buy ah pig in ah bag,” Gonsalves said in Vincentian dialect.
Gonsalves said that opposition members “never want any progress for this country.
“They want failure. That’s what they want. And you all must go and take people and look at it (the airport) to see the fantastic progress with is being made. Keep he faith, stay with labour, and let us bring more souls to this great party,” he further said.