Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is leading a six-member delegation to the 7th World Government Summit, taking place Feb. 10-12, in Dubai.
The other members of the delegation are the prime minister’s wife, Eloise Gonsalves, Senator Deborah Charles, Cultural Ambassador Rondy “Luta” Mc Intosh, the prime minister’s executive secretary Angie Williams-Jackson, and his security officer, Station Sergeant Godwin Charles.
The Office of the Prime Minister said that, in Dubai,Gonsalves will engage in talks related to the socio economic development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He will return to St. Vincent on Feb. 17.
The World Government Summit is a global platform dedicated to shaping the future of governments worldwide, the summit’s website said.
The website says the World Government Summit organisation aspires to improve the lives of citizens across the world by empowering institutions and decision-makers with the knowledge to shape a better future.
Quite the world travellers are Me & Mrs Gonzales. On whose dollar? WOW!
The Emirate of Dubai is one of the oil rich United Arab Emirates (UAE), a coalition of seven nasty absolute Muslim monarchies most of whose foreign residents are not even allowed to apply for citizenship.
Repressive Sharia law is the supreme law everwhere. Flogging is a punishment for criminal offences such as adultery, premarital sex and alcohol consumption. Under UAE law, premarital sex is punishable by 100 lashes.
If we had a law like this in SVG, most of our people would have a real cut backside!
Stoning is a legal punishment in the UAE. Many expatriates have been sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery. Abortion is illegal and punishable by a maximum penalty of 100 lashes and up to five years in prison. The punishment for committing adultery is 100 lashes for unmarried people and stoning to death for married people.
If we had such laws here, there would be hundreds of stonings every day!
Homosexuality is a capital offence in the UAE. Article 80 of the Abu Dhabi Penal Code makes sodomy (“bulling”) punishable with imprisonment of up to 14 years, while article 177 of the Penal Code of Dubai imposes imprisonment of up to 10 years on consensual sodomy.
Amputation is a legal punishment in the UAE according to the Sharia courts. Crucifixion is also legal punishment for various offenses.
They say “politics makes strange bedfellows” but our Prime Minister’s friendship with these backward Middle Eastern countries totally redefines the meaning of “strange.”
Still, the countries of the world, especially poor ones like our own have no political friends, only strategic interests. But what our Christian country is actually getting from our close ties to the evil Moslem regimes of the Middle East is hard to see.
What is the minimum wage in SVG? Jetsetter DREGS traveling the world at the overtaxed poor people expense when more than a third of the population living under the poverty line with no end in sight. You should move your office overseas man.
He loves the sound of his own voice. He should stay home and save the taxpayers’ money.
How does these sentiments stack up with a family dictatorship? “The World Government Summit organization aspires to improve the lives of citizens across the world by empowering institutions…” Say what!
Indeed, SVG is in such a wretchedly poor and bad state that it cannot look after itself, yet its Prime Minister and entourage finds time to attend such a talking shop. No doubt an opportunity to pass around the inevitable and unavoidable begging bowl, in place of good economic planning at home.
All the Venezuelan hierarchy and the military have arranged a bolt hole in the UAE for themselves.
Members of the Gonsalves dynasty should be asked if they have been visitors to Dubai during the last few months. I know the answer and have the evidence.