Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Monday called on the main opposition to cease their street protest over the results of last Wednesday’ general election.
Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party (ULP) was declared winners of the votes by eight seats to the NDP’s seven.
But the NDP is claiming that it won the Central Leeward constituency and is the legitimate government.
The Cabinet was sworn in at Heritage Square Monday evening, several hundred feet away from where the NDP staged an all-day protest.
The largely peaceful agitation included the dumping of construction debris and metal grills from the sidewalk onto Halifax Street, which disrupted the flow of traffic temporarily.
Gonsalves, speaking at the swearing-in ceremony, said that the ULP won eight of the 15 seats with majorities ranging from “comfortable to overwhelming”
“That is a fact,” he told the gathering, which including persons dressed in ULP campaign t-shirts.
He noted that in terms of popular vote, the ULP more than doubled its victory margin compared to the 2010 general elections.
“The ULP today, on the basis of free and fair elections is in a stronger political position than in 2001. That is also a fact.”
Gonsalves said that the NDP leadership is “entirely delusional” in thinking that they won the elections.
He said the CARICOM, Commonwealth and OAS election observer missions have already issued their preliminary statements “confirming that the elections were free and fair and reflected the will of the people.
“The NDP, through its delusional political lens, insist, against all the evidence and right reason, that it won — a political strategy based on a fiction, nay, a monumental falsehood that is bound to fail in any modern, sophisticated, information-driven society like St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Related:
- Commonwealth’s Interim Statement on SVG 2015 Elections
- OAS observers’ preliminary statement on SVG 2015 Elections
Gonsalves urged the NDP “to cease their futile attempt to destabilise the country politically”, adding,
“They going attempt but they can’t succeed.
“And I am urging them to abandon the cockeyed view that a loss is a win and that a minority of seats and a minority of votes empower their party in a democratic society to run the country instead of the ULP, which won the majority.”
Gonsalves said that even if the NDP considers, “erroneously,” that it has a case to be answered, the proper place to seek that answer authoritatively is in the court of law.
“This lawless charade upon which they have embarked on the street will be strongly resisted by this democratically elected government. This is a matter of high principle for us. Let no one doubt the resolve of the government and the prime minister on this matter.”
The Dec. 9 results were the fourth consecutive one with Arnhim Eustace at the helm of the NDP, although he retained his seat as MP for East Kingstown for a fifth consecutive term.
“I fully appreciate that Mr. Arnhim Eustace and some of his leadership are at the end of their political careers. Their recent defeat hastens the termination of these careers.
“Twenty consecutive years in opposition brings pain and anguish. But these human feelings and emotions must not prompt any responsible leader to permit those feelings or emotions, personal vainglory and a loss of opportunity to sacrifice the national good on the altar of that which is unworthy. A loss of face ought not to trap one into a loss of good sense,” Gonsalves said, adding that apt insight is provided by Psalm 37:14-15: The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow … But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.”
He said the same psalm teaches in verse 23 that if the Lord delights in a man’s way he makes his steps firm.
“Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand,” Gonsalves said, quoting verse 24.
“I know that my heavenly father is upholding me with his hand,” Gonsalves said.
NDP president Arnhim Eustace told I-Witness News on Monday that his major concern was getting all the requirements for the legal work done as quickly as possible as the NDP prepares to go to court over the election results.
“We are submitting documents today and we have to submit documents in a day or two again, because we are not dealing with one constituency, we are dealing with several constituencies, but, of course, the most urgent is Central Leeward.”
The NDP is claiming that there are major irregularities in Central Leeward that could result in the NDP being declared the winner or could force a by-election.
I-Witness News has seen photograph purporting to show ballots with parts missing, which the NDP’s legal team will argue should not be counted as acceptable ballots. Sources say that there are over 300 ballots of this nature in Central Leeward.
The NDP is also arguing that ballot boxes were unsealed, a claim that Supervisor of Election, Sylvia Findlay denied in a statement on Monday, saying, “All boxes were properly sealed with both the plastic and paper seals in place.”
Related:
The Commonwealth have only issued a preliminary statement and are looking into the allegations of fraud before issuing their final statement.
Whatever the NDP are currently doing is not as bad as when the comrade and his supporters which included the police; blocked and stopped people from going to Kingstown. Now the NDP are demonstrating against alleged fraud Gonsalves is complaining.
I have evidence of delivery notes for the stolen government building materials by the ULP and given out to bribe poor ignorant people with the demand that they vote ULP.
Of course the matter must come to court but that does not mean giving up the demonstrating by frustrated people who know they have been cheated.
As for Gonsalves once again using the name of God, I will say nothing about that and respect whatever God decides to do about that. I remember how Chavez begged in Church for God to save him but he still perished. Exodus 20:7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Ms Finley has been questioned by me in other comments regarding her being the Mother-in-Law of PM Gonsalves press secretary Hans King and if she can hold that office and remain unbiased.
Peter, you are right! And yes. Ralph always mentions God when he wants to sway Christians. Ralph is actually a Zionist Jew and pretends to be a Christian in order to sway the people. Zionist Jews and Zionist Christians are only individuals that use God or Jesus as a tool to further their agenda. To identify a TRUE Christian look for an individual that follows the teachings of Christ. Everyone knows that Ralph likes to quote from the Book of Ester. That book promotes lies, deception, and killing…It has nothing to do with what Jesus taught.
The Commonwealth is doing no such thing. Peter it’s folks like that the NDP needs to get rid of; you not helping the cause, you just being a hindrance to progress.
The NDP needs to hear the truth from their followers like you; stop with this enabling of nonsense. The NDP lost the election because the people rejected what they had to offer. I was backing the NDP to win but it didn’t happen, so I have to deal with that reality. Peter and all NDP supporters should do likewise.
Peter, I thought you had retired? Was that only from the Caribbean News Now site?
Anyway, welcome back.
Peter, the final reports of the OAS, the Commonwealth, and Caricom will simply elaborate on the observations they have already made. They simply could not write full reports in a day or two.
The final reports will not be based on the gathering of additional information.
Peter, your donkey is dead; dismount.
Mother Priam say, there are five stages of grief, Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.
The question is, how long will it take for Mr Eustace to reach the last stage of his grieving?
I am afraid, the longer the NDP drag on with all this litigation, the further they remove themselves from the good graces of the electorate. The court is not going to overturn an election on frivolous claims. The NDP know this but yet pursue down this path of futility. I guess Eustace is just delaying the inevitable, the end of his political career.
The NDP missed the boat in 2010, that was the opening to regain power. All the numbers suggest, the NDP lost popularity over the five years after 2010…the NDP have to ask themselves, why.
By the way, I read somewhere, a person riding shotgun, suggesting Patel Mathews as the new leader of NDP…wtf…yeah that means another fifteen years in the wilderness for the NDP. Mathews just barely held on to his seat; so ndp going to pick a leader, who will most likely loose his seat in the next election..mm..beware of folks riding shotgun, they may just lead you over a cliff.
Listen to Ralph’s words…the master of social disruption. Does anyone remember the Road Block Revolution when Ralph was crying like a baby because he did not get his way!
I am not writing but I will be commenting.