Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace says he was alarmed to hear that some persons rejoiced over the vehicular accident on the weekend in which some supporters of his New Democratic Party (NDP) were injured.
Several persons were injured when a truck, TQ406, carrying NDP supporters from North Windward to Chateaubelair overturned in Gordon Yard on Saturday.
Among them is 32-year-old Sandy Bay resident Shirley Baptiste whose right leg has been amputated just above the knee because of injuries she suffered in the incident.
“I don’t know what our society is coming to,” Eustace said on his weekly radio programme on Monday as he spoke of the rejoicing over the accident.
He said that even if people are on different political sides, laughing about such an incident tells him something about the society.
“We have hit a low that really is unbelievable. All of us are Vincentians. We may belong to different organisations, but we are Vincentians and, in a case like this, why should anybody be happy? Why should anybody be happy about what has happened?
“A human life is almost lost. There is injury, permanent injury, but there are those who are rejoicing. It is really unbelievable to hear some of the stories I have been hearing about people who are amused and happy about this,” he said.
Eustace pledged the NDP’s commitment to helping Baptiste.
“I want to say to Shirley that we understand the situation and the New Democratic Party will play its role in this regard and to give her the assurance that things will improve.
“We can’t get to the point where we will remove everything, every hurt, every pain, but at least we make life more bearable and bearing in mind the young children and the fact that she will be alone in the hospital for some time,” he said.
Eustace said the NDP was putting logistical arrangements in place to help Baptiste during her hospitalisation in Kingstown.
And, Lauron “Sharer” Baptiste, NDP candidate for North Windward, told I-Witness News on Monday that arrangements were being made to provide counselling for the injured woman.
Reports are that the truck’s brake failed, causing it to speed downhill.
The driver, realising what was happening, crashed the truck into a bank on the left side of the road as he tried to avoid going over an embankment, I-Witness News was told.
Reports are that the truck overturned and fell on Baptiste’s leg and injured several other persons, including the older two of Baptiste’s children.
The injured were treated initially at the health centre in Spring Village and later at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where Baptiste is a patient.
No one should rejoice over the plight of another regardless of what party they support. Eustace is right, we are all one Vincentian, one family, one nation, one people. It’s a disgrace and dishonor to our country when such behavior is exhibited for political reasons. This should not be. Let us be the proud, supportive and loving people we were once known to be.
Hear, hear, Brown Boy! May I suggest that we start a fund to provide this young mother with a good prosthetic limb? I hate to see so many people who have lost a limb having to make do with crutches, or worse, yet having to be confined to a wheel chair, when there are good prostheses available today. I do not know if we have the capability to fit those here or to provide the necessary physiotherapy to enable her to use the prosthesis properly. But we can surely explore where she could be helped to regain her mobility – possibly within the region, or if not overseas.
That is certainly a good suggestion. We have to start word of mouth talkers and actually start helping wherever we can. Those are our people, our family.
Labour loves you is the biggest lie yet. The people of SVG have been divided into 2 tribes by the ULP, they have seen the leadership apply spite, malice, hatred and evil and the ULP tribe have been taught to own it.
Time to rid ourselves of such leadership and try and get back to some common decency.
Peter,
Is your glass half empty or half full ?