A New Democratic Party (NDP) government will not discontinue increments for public servants, and the low-income housing or Youth Empowerment Services (YES) programmes, as Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on Sunday.
In responding to Gonsalves claims at the Unity Labour Party (ULP) convention, Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace on Tuesday accused Gonsalves of lying about NDP policies.
“… all of them are lies, straight lies,” Eustace said on radio.
He said the NDP will improve the Low-Income Housing Programme by building the house and charging only the cost of construction and an administration fee of about EC$15,000.
Eustace said that under the current initiative, low-income house recipients pay mortgages of EC$600 a month for up to 30 years.
“Not many people who are low-come can pay $600 a month for 30 years, which virtually triples the price of the house that they bought for 70-something thousand dollars,” he said.
He added that with a 30-year mortgage, a person can end up paying EC$200,000 for a house for which they could have paid EC$85,000.
“We want to make the housing programme affordable to low-income people. They are not going to low-income people now. They can’t pay those kind of mortgages,” Eustace said.
He further noted that the houses cannot be altered before the mortgage is paid off.
“You have a mortgage for 30 years and you can alter the property, you can’t do anything to it for 30 years? Come one!”
Meanwhile, Eustace said regarding the YES Programme, an NDP government will try to bring back to this country some of the information communication technology companies, such as call centres, that left after the ULP came to office.
He said the businesses left because the shareholding was for the Government.
“But the purpose of those types of businesses is to get more people employed,” Eustace said, adding that he doesn’t want the government to own the shares, but for maximum employment of people.
He said that the call centres closed soon after the ULP came to office and the country has been having difficulties attracting that kind of business, despite new legislation.
Eustace said that as an additional incentive to attract businesses here, the NDP is proposing that the government assigns some of the same YES programme workers to these businesses to work for about 6 months, and then the businesses would employ them.
“We see that as an additional incentive to attract people. Not to close down, or to cut off the YES programme. We never said that.”
Regarding the charge that an NDP government will discontinue increments for public servants, Eustace said, “What you going to do that for?
“But Gonsalves, since 2012, and including 2013, and now 2014 when you look at the Estimates, has not given any civil service increases in salaries.
“He has frozen salaries now for what will be the third year. But he say we not going to pay increments,” Eustace said, adding, “I haven’t heard a single trade union that has representation in the public service make a noise about that in any meaningful way.
“But he talk about we going to stop increments. What he is doing is something much harsher than that. And these are the kinds of contradictions and lies that you get from Gonsalves all the time,” Eustace said.
“A lot of what he said was very contemptuous and I basically ignore a lot of what the Prime Minister says. That has been my pattern over the years and I have my reason for that,” Eustace said.
I have worked on the assumption that every word that Gonsalves writes or says has the potential of being untrue. In fact more than potential, since he told us he was liar and signed a teachers contract which was untrue in content, I accept his self branding of being a liar.
Its only the ignorant and the brain washed who believe otherwise.
You political hypros. are so blind with hate for Pm and the Government no wonder you all supporters of a useless opposition party is having heart attacks slowly you bleeming idiots will remain losers for the rest of your lives…
KENNETH, go eat your hat you silly pratt. I suppose you support all his lies? You are one of the ignorant that like the qualities in a man to include, spite, malace, hatred, revenge, lies, bad behaviour, nastey names and nast gestures. Are kidding us? or are you that stupid? well are you stupid? Because your obviously not the full ticket.
Mr. Eustace accusing Ralph Gonsalves of lying should not come as a surprise to anyone. It was Prime Minister Gonsalves who stated in Parliament that he lies sometimes; the same Prime Minister who stated that he did not know that his elderly mother withdrew one million dollars from Building & Loan. But Gonsalves is very very desperate now- the elections are at hand; and the winds are blowing in only one direction- an NDP victory.
Lying to Dr Ralph is as natural to him as a bird flying or a fish swimming. The man admitted in parliament, that he tell lies sometimes, I have the tape so if anyone wants to dispute that I will put it on sound cloud for you to hear. He spent his entire time talking commess against the Eustace when he was suppose to be saying what he and his party intends to do.
We want to hear what you are going to do Dr Ralph, we do not want to hear no more commess about who people would recognize in day or night. I didn’t hear one serious plan for the next term. Haahah, I laugh my belly full everytime I hear what passes for intelligence in SVG.
It’s better to hear it live from the horses Mouth so i am going to backup most things I say here when audio or video are available.
In this clip on the Current Affairs In SVG. Mr Eustace esposed lies told to the public at the ULP convention about the low income housing scheme. Copy and paste the link below to listen.
https://soundcloud.com/blane-shoy/eustace-low-housing-plan
I cannot believe that the NDP is now saying that they support the social development programmes of the Government. ALL Vincentians should recall the numerous statements by Eustace himself and the rest of the NDP condemning the social programmes of the government. All these comments and condemnation are recorded and will re-surface at the right moment. When they do, plenty people will run for cover. Wait and see. Fool ah talk but nah fool ah listen.
Hahah. What else do you all expect from a liar. Ralph Gonsalves is a liar and everything he says should not be taken at face value. Like I told you all before, I am going to back up the things I say when I have time to go and find the audio. I have thousands of hours on my computers with this guy and his nonsense.
Below is a clip of Our Lying Prime Minister admitting he’s a liar in Parliament.
https://soundcloud.com/blane-shoy/ralph-gonsalve-admitting-hes-a
One major NDP propagandist during the early days of the Home Care for the Elderly Programme said that the ULP now have people going around cleaning old people, and those are the disgraceful jobs the government was finding for people. And they said more, but I will not lay them out here. I am sure the ULP will set the record straight soon by bringing back these comments live and direct to our ears and eyes. The other programmes like the YES, and Low Income Housing were all badmouthed by the NDP and they plainly said they will stop them if they win. The NDP should not get away with this sort of revision of history. And it will not get away with it. “Wey you will get the money from” syndrome has been rampant in the NDP. Step up AUSTERITY! The NDP demands that you step up. It is what the NDP has always preached from since 1984.