This morning I held a meeting with the Christian Council, headed by Monsignor Michael Stewart, in relation to the current political situation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines consequent upon the general elections of December 09, 2015. He informed me that a similar meeting was held yesterday, Sunday December 13, 2015, with the President of the opposition New Democratic Party.
My discussion with the representatives of the Christian Council was cordial and productive. I reconfirmed to them that the elections were free and fair and reflected the will of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as was emphasised by the Election Observer Missions of CARICOM, the Organisation of American States and the Commonwealth.
The Christian Council affirmed the continuing requisite for peace and calm, and suggested that any complaints about the election process should be addressed by the Law Courts. I agreed with all of this.
The Christian Council reiterated their position that political partisans on both sides must be advised by their respective leaderships to obey the law, be peaceful and calm, and not provoke any confrontation.
Accordingly, I am urging all Vincentians, especially those who are supporters respectively of the ULP and the NDP, to conduct themselves peacefully and with maturity at the official Swearing-in Ceremony of members of the Cabinet this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at Heritage Square. In particular, it would be helpful if everyone should resist the temptation to display party political symbols to the annoyance of others, at this afternoon’s event. We are a mature, sophisticated people steeped in tried and tested values of our Caribbean civilisation. Let us be good.
Dated the 14th day of December, 2015.
[signed by the Prime Minister]
Dr. The Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves
Prime Minister
At no point ought SVG to approach the status of ungovernable. Now, that would be both unheard of and unthinkable. Needless to say, no one in this noble Caribbean civilization would ever promote such a thing. And there you have it.
I wonder if PM Gonsalves recalls when in the approach to the 2001 elections which divinely installed him, how he sat in his vehicle exhorting the crowds without attempting to issue reprimand and admired the heaving and dropping of the vehicle carrying the then GG, Sir Charles Antrobus out of the yard of the Kingstown Court. That was a long time ago, I suppose.