KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has congratulated his “brother” Dr. Kenny Anthony and his St. Lucia Labour Party on their return to office after five years in opposition.
The SLP secured a majority of the 17 seats, and could be victorious in as many as 11 constituencies given that both parties were contesting some of the results.
The SLP victory crushed the hopes of outgoing Prime Minister Stephenson King, who had predicted a 14-3 victory for his United Workers party (UWP) and a second consecutive term in power.
“I want to congratulate Dr. Kenny Anthony and the St. Lucia Labour Party. I do so as political leader of the Unity Labour Party. Our parties are fraternal parties. I do so also on behalf of the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to congratulate the new government on their assumption of office after a five-year break,” Gonsalves said Tuesday morning.
“Kenny Anthony, I am quite sure, in whose confidence the people of St. Lucia have placed their country, would not disappoint them,” said Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party was returned to office for a third term last December, by a one-seat majority.
“At the same time, I want to say that Mr. Stephenson King, the outgoing prime minister, is also a very good human being and it must be very painful for him this morning but this is nature of general elections. All told, I am happy to see my brother Kenny back,” Gonsalves further stated.
Meanwhile, Anthony told St. Lucians that the “days ahead will be hard, it will be difficult” and that the right message would be sent by not declaring a public holiday as has been the tradition over the years to celebrate the victory.
“I am afraid there will be no holiday (Tuesday), we will get to work immediately. There is a hard job ahead of all of us and it is important for the sake of this country that we take the right step from now,” he said, according to the Caribbean Media Corporation.