Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says he will use the next 18 months to smoke out the “Internet crazies” and that the media should not give them a break.
“I know them; St. Vincent and the Grenadines [is] small. So, between now and December next year, when is the election, I shall smoke them out; I shall smoke them out; everything in its good time. Of course, this press conference is going to send them mad, which is what I like to do. Send them further crazy. Real mad, mad,” Gonsalves said on Monday.
He said the expression “Internet crazies” is “a shorthand for many things”, but suggested that it groups those people who use the Internet, often anonymously, to criticise his government.
Gonsalves’ comments on Monday came days after a report in the regional media quoted digital media strategists Nerissa Golden and Ursula Barzey as saying how political parties use social media in the coming years will impact their chances at the polls come Election Day.
The criticism of the “Internet crazies” came as Gonsalves responded to opposition to a recent official visit to Ecuador.
The Prime Minister, who is a former minister of telecommunication, said he groups together the “Internet crazies” and the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).
“… because I want the people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines do know when they are considering voting for the NDP, they are going to consider voting a whole set of Internet crazies who are driving the agenda of the NDP…
“When people like [MP for North Leeward] Patel Matthews and [Opposition Leader] Arnhim Eustace don’t distinguish themselves from the Internet crazies and the few who hang around them and who join in the campaign against Ralph in relation to going to Ecuador, when the three [Ecuador-funded] bridges are built in North Leeward, … they must tell people nah bother with the people who help Ralph build them bridges they man’,” Gonsalves said.
Gonsalves said that the NDP, whose popular votes have increased in every election since 2001, while his Unity Labour Party’s had fallen, doesn’t have “any connection anymore with people.
“The party which Sir James [Mitchell] left is not the party which they now have, you know. It is independent upon a few electoral elites among them hangers on and the Internet crazies,” he said.
The Prime Minister further claimed that the NDP no longer had its support base.
“The base, the real hardworking people who historically have supported the NDP, who came by way of the PPP from Ebenezer Joshua, solid honest working people, good people from the farming community, middle class, professional and the like.
“The NDP doesn’t represent those social sectors any more. They are driven by a quest for power by a handful of local people and some overseas and those who are overseas, many of them are Internet crazies. They don’t like when I use the expression. It is a shorthand for many things,” he said.
Gonsalves said some of the Internet crazies are some of his former supporters who were vying for jobs at one of the nation’s diplomatic outposts.
“When I tell them they are not suitable for them, they turn [against me]. … What they are fighting for is to move from Internet crazy to Excellency. … I see how they are lining up,” Gonsalves said.
The talks in Ecuador explore the possibility of some of that country’s citizens coming to SVG to learn English.
“I saw a couple of the Internet crazies say, ‘The teachers in St. Vincent can’t even talk English and teach English to persons who have English as their first language, they will be able to teach to persons who have it as their second language?’
“You notice that all they are involved in is pulling down people. … You all in the media must not give them a break. Of course, you have to encourage freedom of expression. But it not every crack pot you give access to on a daily basis or on a weekly basis. You have to handle these things carefully and with circumspection,” Gonsalves said.
Is this is same man, who writes in the news paper under other people’s name. Ralph your either taking to much medication or not enough.
Camilo, if you believe that PM Ralph Gonsalves has time to be writing letters “in the news paper under other people’s names”……..you must be smoking something funny!
Dr Ralph Gonsalves is way beyond that. He writes books, addresses, position papers etc.
Camilo, tell me which book, notable public address, or position paper you know of, which Arnhim has ever written?
Come on Camilo, stop drinking that stupid juice!
PM Gonsalves’ latest tirade is symptomatic of a dictator in his last throes trying desperately to hold on to power for as long as he can. But the writing is on the wall Gonsalves; I believe you will call the elections in the next four months, November 2014 to be exact. In the meantime your socialist popularity is waning, you have lost your way; you are way too egoistic for your own good; you are disrespectful, arrogant, and childish. You are incapable pf appreciating constructive criticisms and you would like only to be surrounded by “yesers”. You do not understand that you are the Prime Minister for the whole of SVG and not just your ULP supporters who, by the way, are very disappointed with your performance. Don’t fool your fat Gonsalves- you are not going to win the next elections in this country. Do try to see if you could win your upcoming court battles when you are no longer in power.
Unbelievable, It’s unreal that Vincentians allowed this guy to mashup our country like he did, I defended in his first term in office but after that I had nothing good to say about him. “smoke them out” I can’t even believe that a Prime Minister said he is going to smoke out citizens, how did Vincentians come to such a sorry state that people are defending these things?
I played the press conference for my wife and in laws and they couldn’t believe what the Prime Minister said, because a Prime Minister declaring war on it’s citizens is something that shouldn’t happen in any democratic country, someone remarked that he sounds like he is full of hate. And my wife and in laws are American and they said the guy sound like he was crazy. So if a crazy man call you “Internet crazy” would you care? I would rather be internet crazy than real life crazy Mr Prime Minister, i leave that to people like yourself.
Sometimes I just can’t believe that Vincentians allowed this guy who doesn’t seem to have even basic common sense, fool them into believing he is some kind of genius. Lawd help my country.
Is nothing besides long talk and distraction for the last 2 years. Mr PM has nothing to show the people in terms of progress, so the goal is to now fill us with ole talk. The Vincentian people have only 3 questions:
1) When is the registrar going to be returned via ET Joshua in handcuffs? (Like Mr. Sandy)
2) When is the airport going to be operational and the actual cost ?
3) What’s the date for elections?
All other topics can wait.
I would have thought that our PM had more important and pressing matters to deal with than smoking out so called “internet crazies”. Let the people chat for god’s sake. They have no ombudsman, they have no complaint’s tribunal to vent to. There is no freedom of information legislation that facilitates transparent governance. Their MPs are useless. The powers that be are not open to any point of view except their own. Everything is not all roses and butterflies in SVG and people need to express that. At least let the “crazies” let off some steam on the internet. Give them that little privilege.
Thank god for social media. It’s a force that will increasingly help to keep our “leaders” honest.
OMG! This man is loosing it. Drowning man trying to hold unto straw, reminds me of Sadam Husein in his last days. What ah man, What ah PM.
Internet crazies is a shorthand for many things, but suggested that it groups those people who use the Internet, often anonymously, to criticise his government.” There has never been and never will be a perfect government, so governments will be criticised. PM, please stop acting so childishly.
This tirade by the PM suggests:
1. a man with too much time on his hands wasting his publically-paid salary reading other peoples’ tirades on the Internet.
2. paranoia
3. a steady decline in his own private polling numbers which he seems crazily to be blaming on the “Interrnet crazies”
4. more evidence that Vincentian politicians are more interested in enhancing their own well-being (more power, greater influence, enhanced prestige, etc.) than in creating the greatest good for the greatest number of people (even if this adversely affects their own well being).
He suffers from roly-poly foot, caused by a body several times to big for the chassis thereby damaging the tyres. Or as a chicken farmer would put it, he is a fat clucker.
He also suffers from a reoccurring complaint, boils on the bollocks.
Really Peter Binose?
How do you know so much about the Prime Minister’s bollocks?
I swear…de PM sound like he ‘crazie’…LMFAO!
When will someone sort out this mess at Buccament Bay? £400 MILLION pounds for what 100 cabanas?
He is big mates with Ames ? Is that true…. how did Ames get a SVG passport?
Peter Binose do you know that you are the King of the Internet Crazies? and Gonsalves is speaking about you here more than anyone else.Them afraid you bad boy. Keep them running.
Yvette Collins the answer to that is ever so easy, once when I was interviewing his press secretary and personal adviser, Glen, he told me Ralph apparently ask him to squeeze a boil for him, what surprised him was he couldn’t find a boil at the time, but he felt obliged to squeeze anyway.
He said what are friends for, if its not to squeeze occasionally.
Allan I don’t think he would dare call me crazy, I once slapped him so hard he tried to set his brother on me, but his brother got the hiding of his life.
Also Allan once whilst eating with him he described me as the most inteligent Vincentian he had ever met.
Yep! Thats Peter Binose for you. Head Chief of the Internet Crazies, and PRO of the Now Defunct Party (NDP) trying to get in to unseat the PM, and still trying. But Glen said to Peter the shehim, you keep on knocking but you cant come in, keep on knocking but you cant come in Come back tomorrow night and try again.
The Hon. PM is obviously out of touch with the reality of social media. This is surprising for a man who claims to be throughly versed and informed about the world around him. It is highly unreasonable for our PM to be so obviously upset about the political criticism of the policies of his government. Worse though, is for him, as head of state, to be so consumed with rage and raw hate toward what he claim is “a small group of people” who is obviously getting under his skin. Hence him acting like a political crazyman. Get a grip PM!
So Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said that he will “smoke out the crazies.”
THE CRAZIES KEEP ATTACKING HIM INNOCENTLY, AND LYING continuously AS WELL.
What else is the Prime Minister supposed to say, and do?
“Smoke out they blouse an skirts, PM!”
…..”and that the media should not give them a break.” This is Gonsalves biggest problem, he must have the only opinion and we, like the other elected MPs, must not be heard and should only repeat what he said.
The distribution of laptops compliments of the late Mustique home owner, there is going to be a lot of young people who will turn “internet crazies” over the summer vacation. I hope that in the smoke out process they can be spared the wrath.