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Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (IWN file photo)
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (IWN file photo)

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will not be in St. Vincent on July 26, the day when the Opposition plans to protest outside the Financial Complex, where his office is located.

The New Democratic Party on Tuesday announced protest meetings on Saturday and next week Tuesday, ahead of a protest march and picket in Kingstown next week Friday.

“If the object is to draw my attention to the protest, I want to advise them this morning. Have the protest on another day because I will be in Cuba and I don’t think I will be back,” Gonsalves said on radio on Thursday.

He said he would be in Cuba for the anniversary commemoration of the failed attack on the Moncada Barracks on 26 July 1953.

“I am going up on the 25th and I am not going to be here on the 26th, because it is on July 26th the main celebration is taking place. After the celebration, if I could get a flight on the night of the 26th, I will return home …” Gonsalves further said.

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“I am saying to them, if you want me to see the protest, don’t put it on that day, put it on a day when I would be here. I’m advising them. … Some people would say that I shouldn’t tell them … but I am just telling them in advance…” he said of the Opposition.

The Opposition has planned the event in support of Sen. Vynnette Frederick, who was slapped with nine charges on Thursday, hours after a magistrate dismissed six charges against her.

12 replies on “PM says Opposition should put off protest; he will be in Cuba”

  1. “I will be in Cuba and I don’t think I will be back” If only that were true, we could turn the protest meetings into celebratery gatherings.

    Have the protests even if he is here or not, just be aware that the police may attack you. He will then be able to say, nothing to do with me, I wasn’t even there.

  2. Well if we put of the development of the country by many years to build an airport, what is a protest to off by couple of days. The man makes sense yes.

    1. This comment by you Mr. David is by far one of the most ignorant I have heard as it relates to a country’s socio-economic development. I suggest next time you comment on the possible reasons why a country’s development and growth may be stalled you first research the need for a good air transportation infrastructure and how it contributes to a country’s growth and development as oppose to one (Et.Joshua Airport) that is only able to bring in approx. 300 persons a day give or take.

      NB) A good opposition is not one who oppose but one who THINK and DO THEIR RESEARCH then constructively oppose and suggest good alternatives.

      1. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge and information.

        Help us all reduce this heavy load of our ignorance towards this project, WHERE is this information published?

        I have read every document on both the IADC and government websites and there is not one published document that mentions or demonstrates this “socio-economic development”. http://www.svgiadc.com has more references to speeches than actual economic studies or forecast documents.
        Any studies actually provided don’t demonstrate any benefits, words such as “ will need to….would depend on ….will be required to” are such throughout but never a statement of IS GOING TO or MAY RESULT IN. My research has been done. My ignorance is a function of the lack of relevant information forthcoming from the government.

        According to the news, the morgue at the hospital is not working. Tell me, what is socio-economic development to this country of spending government funds going to Cuba for anniversary commemoration of the failed attack on the Moncada Barracks and not putting that same money into fixing the morgue. Socially the situation with the morgue is an embarrassment , economically it is a better return on investment fixing the morgue over this trip. I wonder what is the comparative cost of each alternative.
        Mr. Research, I guess this another most ignorant statement.

      2. It is quite obvious that your main objective is to point out what is going wrong in this country. Even though there is a possibility that I could give you some insight with some of you concerns stated above I would not.
        Your mind is already made up and all you seek to do is oppose and draw light on the negatives without suggesting any reasonable solution.

        The next time you attempt to give a robust counter response make sure that it defends you first post and it is not just a combination of unrelated issues brought together in name of political opposition.

        This ignorant statement that you made was issue at hand.

        “”””Well if we put of the development of the country by many years to build an airport, what is a protest to off by couple of days. The man makes sense yes””””

        SO. You either defend it or admit you know nothing about what constitutes economic development.

      3. This is the issue, cause you disagree with one subject you then are apart of the NDP or want to entire country to fail. Never once have i voted for the NDP, but that does not mean I have to support that project without concern.

        ” Even though there is a possibility that I could give you some insight with some of you concerns stated above I would not.” – Really Now, so we hiding the information now, have to be apart at the approved club to see it?

        To end this, I have studied economics from micro, macro, international to engineering to fully well understand the Laws of Diminishing Returns. A free airport i had no issue with, even at $400 million was acceptable but heading towards $800 million and somehow only the “political opposition” should be concerned. The government should be happy to demonstrate we have not passed that point on this project to date.

        I used to believe and support 100% up to certain point, but with not published analysis, schedules, milestones, projections, forecast, if it now makes me ignorant to question then so be it.

        It was enjoyable chatting with you, enjoy your day as i am not going to make this personal.

  3. There are going to be a lot of tourists in the island from Thursday (25th July), visiting for the cricket on the weekend, can this protest be done before that or after the 30th please? Nation first!

  4. ONE VINCY, this matter is more important than a cricket match, more important than trying to hide what is going on from the tourists. The more people that know about what’s going on in SVG, and go home and talk about it, the better.

    Remember the so called ‘road block revolution’ do you think that Gonsalves and his Marxist cronies gave a moments thought regarding tourism, or if people could get to hospital?

    This is a demonstration, not an illegal road block. Had they of prosecuted and imprisoned the organisers of the road block we would not be in the position we are in today.

    It amazes me how people are so two faced.

    Peter Binose
    Self-appointed keeper of the whistle

  5. I WANT TO SEND A WARNING TO THE PEOPLE OF SVG PLEASE DONT GIVE THE POLICE ANY CHANCE TO SHOW OUT THEIR SKILLS AND ART OF CARRYING OUT THE ORDERS THAT WILL BE GIVEN BEFORE I LEAVE SO FOR GOD SAKE BE GOOD TO YOURSELF

  6. WHEN THEY HAD THE ROAD BLOCK IN 2000 CARICOM HEADS OF GOVERNMENT WAS HAVING A MEETING HERE THEY HAD TO CUT THE FENCE AT THE AIRPORT FOR THEN TO GO TO THE MEETING SO WHAT ARE THE TALKING A BOUT CRICKETERS WILL BE HERE, WHO CARES WHERE THEY COME FROM THEY HAVE PROTEST TOO.

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