Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves says that when the main opposition New Democratic Party speaks about citizenship by investment, they are “singing the song of their passport masters who fund their campaign on the promise that if the NDP comes into office, they will sell your passport”.
The minister’s comments came on Sunday as he addressed the Unity Labour Party’s rally to mark 17 years in office.
“When you hear the NDP talk about switching from Taiwan to China, they’re singing the song of their passport masters who know that plenty Chinese people out there want to buy Vincy passport,” Gonsalves told the rally in the Calliaqua, located in East St. George, which he also represents in Parliament.
“Every word that they utter is scripted by their passport masters and the SCL,” he said.
His comments came as he spoke about the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, parent company of Cambridge Analytica, which has been accused of mining data to influence election outcomes around the world.
Gonsalves said that the biblical axiom that one cannot serve two masters is also true in politics.
“You either serve St. Vincent and the Grenadines or you serve your passport masters. You can’t serve them both.”
He said that Opposition Leader Godwin Friday has a third master: his Canadian passport.
“We have one prime minister. His name is Ralph Gonsalves. Not Justin Trudeau. So we go forward with one prime minister.”
Gonsalves, who was born in the United States but gave up his US citizenship before entering politics, said: “Comrades and citizens, you will be called on to explain to them what is a Vincy. Vincy is not something you can buy and sell and trade and sell out. You will be called to explain to them that our citizenship is priceless and invaluable and that you will not prostitute yourself for any price.”
Gonsalves, who was constitutionally Vincentian at birth, by virtue of his father –Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves’ birth in St. Vincentian and the Grenadines — said that Vincentians will be called upon to choose a party not led by pollsters but by principles.
“… not by consultants but by conviction, not by cynicism but by hope and optimism,” he said.
“They want to sell us out, to sell our alliances and our allies, to sell our passport. You 2001, and 2005, and 2010, and 2015, you must stand with your party on the side of right. You must tell them that we reject their games and we reject their attempts to play us as fools.”
Gonsalves said that the NDP does not believe that a small state can exist on the strength and ingenuity and creativity and hard work of its citizens.
“They believe that our survival and prosperity is linked to prostituting the very essence of our nationhood to any and all comers. But they are wrong. They want to mortgage our future. We want to invest in your future,” he said.
Camilo’ comments reflects a very limited understanding[blind hubris] of why people opt for dual citizenship! For someone to decide to travel and live abroad, there is a vested interest afforded by citizenship: social benefits;medical care…So, it behooves this political neophyte to address the aforementioned issues on the island;a difference between life and death- which guides me to align with Friday’ practical posture.
Friday is clearly far better than Camillo. Camillo’s politics is simple to spend money and bash the NDP. That is because he has never done anything of substance in spite of his daddy always placing him in the best positions to do so. All Camillo can propose is spending money and bashing the NDP.
Compare Camillo to Sabota Ceasar: Sabota proposes posibilities WITHOUT attacking the NDP. All Camillo can do is attack the NDP thinking that by making the other guy look bad, he makes himself look better. What a loser!
You recover Camilo. WOW. You should have made a grander re-entrance
I wish The Minister of Finance will take the advice of his father to avoid the ongoing calamities such as in that at the UN, the Yugge saga and now this matter of his utterance on the topic of ‘serving two maters’ constitutionally, the said circumstances he is in. Stressing the old man unnecessary, making it more difficult for him to justify handing the ULP leadership to a son whose tactic serves two traditions; Jamaica and St.Vincent.
So it is also true that people are emotionally tied to where their naval string (umbilical cord) is buried, a deep bond of Liberation and the root to patriotism, one that will never be realized via citizenship by investment, constitutionally by virtue (SVG Finance Minister’s status), nor through migration. Proof that here I am 50 years later (alike many others) residing in the diaspora, still tie unconditionally to our special Vincy Land.
Who but Camillo, him being the SVG Minister of Finance a constitutionally citizen; are the most fitting to reveal his TRUTH of the biblical axiom> No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Boy, shut up and let us know about Yugggie and the police woman. Shameeeeee., Leave NDP alone and talk to Yuggie.
But the NDP under Eustace never used SCL, but the ULP used them in 2010
Is this for really, is this type of foolish political nonsense that you referred to as good governance? Oh please! There are so many issues going on the country, including those Camilo himself has created. Why not address some those issue? NDP is not power and not in the position to address the problematic situation of crime, violence, economic hardship and low of infrastructural development or maintenance that is plaguing the country. So please Camilo, pull your head out of your posterior and cut out the political foolishness. Start dealing with the real issues the people need addressing and stop worrying about NDP. You have another few years to campaign when that time comes.
The boy is obviously a fool, when you look at his background in politics and diplomacy. Behaving like a fool in New York when he chose to ignore a NYPD diplomatic protection officer, remember that and how daddy came to his rescue?
fool1
fu?l/Submit
noun
1.
a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.
“I felt a bit of a fool”
synonyms: idiot, ass, halfwit, nincompoop, blockhead, buffoon, dunce, dolt, ignoramus, cretin, imbecile, dullard, moron, simpleton, clod; More
2.
historical
a jester or clown, especially one retained in a royal or noble household.
synonyms: jester, court jester, clown, buffoon, comic, joker, jokester, zany, merry andrew; More
verb
1.
trick or deceive (someone); dupe.
“don’t be fooled into paying out any more of your hard-earned cash”
synonyms: deceive, trick, play a trick on, hoax, dupe, take in, mislead, delude, hoodwink, bluff, beguile, gull, make a fool of, outwit; More
2.
act in a joking, frivolous, or teasing way.
“some lads in the pool were fooling around”
synonyms: fiddle, play (about/around), toy, trifle, meddle, tamper, interfere, monkey about/around; More
adjectiveinformal
1.
foolish; silly.
“that damn fool waiter”
My beautiful people of SVG, is Camillo gonna be your next PM. The boy could not even face you about the Yuggi scandal. do you think voting for him as PM will be any better. He will be worst than his daddy.
He does not value you, he have no respect for you and he will not do anything for you. Lets put whats best for the nation before PARTY. Think of your children and grand children. Sometimes changes is hard but end up being a good thing. My friends, look around don’t with fooled with nice words and promises. Remember this what they say and do is two different thing. Be bless