Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves did not deny nor confirm yesterday that his son, this country’s outgoing Ambassador to the United Nations, Camillo Gonsalves will be appointed a senator.
Government senator, Elvis Charles, is slated to become head of the Housing and Land Development Corporation and it is believed that the younger Gonsalves could replace him.
Asked on radio yesterday about a possible senatorial appointment for his son, the Prime Minister said he has asked Ambassador Gonsalves to come home, after his “successful” five-year tour of duty at the United Nations.
“Now, he is back, he will be given an assignment but I am not going to say what assignment he will be given,” the Prime Minister said.
“In due course, we will say what assignment that the Prime Minister allocates to this very outstanding young man, just like when you finish your studies, I will expect that you will hold discussion with the prime minister as to how you want to see your career going,” Gonsalves said to the host of the programme, broadcasting on his party’s radio station.
“Now, there are a lot of people out there who are speculating. Unfortunately, my brother, I don’t run the government like that. I will make announcement in due course. You will hear in due course who is the person who is to be appointed to succeed Camillo at the United Nations,” Gonsalves said.
“We are doing a lot of refreshing in the state administration in this midterm, and we will see some refreshing politically too, which is in accordance with the mandate of the ULP national convention,” said Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party government is halfway through a third consecutive term in office.
“I have asked Camillo to come home at the end of a very successful tour of duty at the United Nations, by all assessment, internationally, regionally, nationally. Camillo did an outstanding job for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the region. Nobody can take that away from him – displayed outstanding ability,” he said.
Why all this bobbing n weaving just as you did with the story of the Security Council. Since Slater was sent to Foreign Affairs talk on the street and radio was that he was just holding on for Camillo. Camillo in SVG and unemployed?, no way. We will wait to see where and how much ‘additional allowance’ fits into his pay package. The next thing to watch is the doubling of travel expenses owed to LIAT because this new minister will be flying here there and everywhere. Can someone tell us when and where to did current and former FM’s Straker and Slater boarded a plane to represent SVG in their capacity as Foreign Minister. Look at the big difference with new FM as the main aim is portfolio padding.
Nothing would surprise me with the Gonsalves duo. I am currently researching and writing about similar behaviour in other countries. Will submit a posting in the next few days.
Ralph runs St. Vincent like its his empire, yet he doesn’t want to take the blame for the high unemployment, shattered economy and the out of control violent crimes that has engulfed the country.
Lets wait and see if nepotism is alive and kicking!
Ks-784, I agree with your analisis.
I do believe that people regardless of their political stance, at times, fail to realise that the leading of a small developing islands differs from theoretical ‘political models’, that they have studied at university or wherever. The leader of St Vincent and the grenadines, needs to lead his people as sees fit, small islands cannot be govern or led like say France or Germany, or UK. We have all seen and read reports about the EU crisis and its impact on countries that were financially weak. St Vincent is a small island, politicians with ‘sense’ need to come up with their own ‘island political’ governing models. I disagree with Eric Williams, ruthless comments about high unemployment, islanders have always been self sufficient, working on the land with family involvement – my grandparents worked on the land, my mother followed in their footsteps – that was the family ’employment pattern’ down the generations. (I had only two Aunts who worked outside of the family gardens – as nurses) So basically, Eric Williams will classify them as my grandparents/mother as ‘unemployed’. How would every small island nation gets every citizen employed – by what means. A magic wand?
I remind the readers, small islands are not to be lead or govern by European/American models be it employment model, investment models etc.
This Western copycat political stance about getting the ‘island’ workforce into employment is ‘pig in the sky’ ideology. Island leaders need to shape up to reality! Islands that are maintaining their indigenous values are the ones now getting respect, not ‘placees of sun and fun’ like some caribbean islands.
Back to the article, if Prime Minister Gonsalves wants to offer his son a senatorship, he seems very experienced after working with the United Nations, he would be of great benefit to not only St Vincent but the Caribbean region as a whole – the Caribbean leaders need to be leading around a model to ‘distribute wealth’ not to isolate and distance their islands from each other by following ‘pie in the sky’ models that are inappropriate for island leadership. I would rather be governed by PM Gonsalves that by some of these ‘cowboy’ leaders of the caribbean islands. So PM Gonsalves – I wish him well as he maintains the capital S inSt Vincent and the Grenadines, at least he is showing respect to his fellow islanders.