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Prime Minsiter Ralph Gonsalves. (iWN photo)
Prime Minsiter Ralph Gonsalves. (iWN photo)
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Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has called on sports administrators to abandon what he suggested was their partisan outlook and work along with his government in the interest of their various disciplines.

“Look, there is no way we get people to a sport unless everybody is interested in the sport,” Gonsalves told a press conference in Kingstown last week Tuesday, Aug. 20.

“Unfortunately, we have some people in some associations who are presidents of some of them, they believe their job is to be in opposition to the government but I don’t know why they don’t try, because they have been opposition to me since 2001, since before that, and every election, they are hoping that Ralph would change so that they themselves might come into some kind of a kingdom, I don’t know what kingdom they are talking about,” the prime minister said.

He said some of these people want the government change so that they can run the National Lotteries Authority, while others want to be chair of the board of directors of the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines or in charge of VINLEC, the state-owned electricity company.

“… and they are always hoping and up to now, they ain’t making it and they getting old like me,” the 73-year-old leader said.

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“Well, wha’ going happen? Why they don’t just stop this thing and leh we work together.

“It should tell them that they have opposed me from even before 2001, their opposition to me doesn’t stop me from winning. In fact, I would be happy for them to continue to oppose me because it means that if I only have them opposing me, I’m all right because if I win with them in opposition, chances are that I will continue to win again if that is all that they do. So they should really come and leh we work together.

“I don’t have a problem if we all work together for the betterment of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but they want to cocoon and hold themselves in this area. Some fellas want to be president of associations for life. Come on. We can’t have this sort of thing.”

Gonsalves said that parents and teachers must be talking about cricket, football and athletics.

“It must be something which is in us in the way in which athletics is there in the people of Jamaica, that has been built up through the school system and so on and so forth. It is no miracle in these things but hard and smart work in a focused way,” he said, as he spoke about his government’s intention to invest more money in cricket.  

10 replies on “Some sports bosses acting like politicians — PM”

  1. What does the PM expect of a people who live and breathe within a partisan culture? Unmistakably their outlook will be reflective of such disciplines. Likewise the said habitual ambition which entices their anticipation for “the government change so that they can run the National Lotteries Authority,” becoming “chair of the board of directors of the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines or in charge of VINLEC,” tell me why not? It all derived from a cultural practice of nepotism; rooted far within the early education system, put into operation since the beginning of colonialism.
    ‘Labour Love’ much exhibits the impartiality to the meaning of ‘LOVE’. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. … Love never fails. . .”

    1. Rawlston Pompey says:

      OPINIONS RESPECTED – IDEAS CONTEND

      Each person has very valid points.

      No denying, in governance, as in everything else, there shall be ‘…transparency as there shall be accountability.’

      Additionally, there shall be ‘…integrity in public life.’

      No getting away from these either, there is as much ‘…nepotism as there is cronyism.’

      These are bad for effective public administration as very often, people are positioned beyond their competencies- ‘…often square pegs placed in round holes.’

      But one can never be ‘…going forward by traversing backward.’

      However sharp or dull, hatchets are to be buried.

      There cannot be hatchet in one hand and unity in the other.

      Moreover, peace cannot be preached and animosity practiced, nor even antagonism shown.

      Likened to many other things, these are also impediments to progress and bad for good human and working relations..

      That being said, all opinions respected and ‘…All Ideas Contend.’

  2. Everyone is entitled to act as a politician and to love politics. The same as One Phatt Pratt is entitled to act like a sportsman and love sports.

    You O! Gloated and Bloated do not have a monopoly on either, although in your pea sized mind you are the father of everything as claimed under your dynasty, and your want to be not just owner of SVG but to be owner of all our minds as well.

    What happened to the $15 million from Gadhafi?

  3. What’s the problem with this guy,he has been the one opposed the sporting organisations ever since,he made statements,to the effect that SVG was not a colony of Fifa,the ULP government has refused to work with TASVG because of who the president is,we are years behind the rest of the world where sports is concerned,when last had this government offered a scholarship to a leading sportsman or woman,all they do is talk and make grandoise promises,there we for fools but remember Boss time longer than twine.we have the worst ever man in charge of sports ever.Wake up and smell the coffee boss your threats doh frighten us anymore.

  4. The reason why folks are after Ralph is because how he runs the ULP like an oligarchy. Lets’ face it; his selection to the leadership position was a coronation. Vincent and Louis didn’t raise a hand to challenge him for the position. ULP has no democratic process, but relies on a dictatorial one to control Vincentians.
    He started the process of cleaning house to bring in family and people he can control – this looks like Trumpism. Notice he also claims folks are after him, without saying why folks are opposing his behaviour and actions.
    NDP should let Vincentians know how they would govern differently. They know how evil and vindictive Ralph and his comrades’ have become for the past 15 + years. Crime is rampant, people are being murdered daily and Vincentians have to steal to survive. Is that what Vincentians want for another 4 MORE YAERS?

    1. What the heck Skeck, that’s the way dynasties work, soon he will hand the reins to Camillo and no one will complain as he leapfrogs over them all. That is why Millo was made minister of finance, because that’s just one rung below being prime minister.

      The new GG, a long term dynasty friend, will ensure he is the accepted one, sworn in whilst the rest are blinking.

  5. Labour “love to keep us Vincentians in continual darkness” Elma! That is really what you should have written there as their past numerous years in office have since proved. See how quickly they have buried that “FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL” that was so long awaited.

    And no amount of slogans will ever create meaningful jobs or put food on our tables ELMA. What will do such a thing for us and all out of work Vincentian families Elma are manufacturing Industries. Where are they ELMA?

    Inward investments from investors needing a productive workforce, production space and Offices. Creating work that gives the need for well-paid professions such as Accountants, Engineers, Supply Managers and the likes, rather than low waged yard hands and grass cutters or swimming pool attendants.

    You see ELMA just like in Venezuela today Labour isn’t working for us at all!

  6. Palmer and the others, why are you blaming Ralph for running the ULP like an oligarchy? He can only do so because the party allows him to do that. Would you blame him for play card the ace card of he party? He is only able to do so because the other members of the party allow him.

    Some members of the ULP without calling names are quite passive and lethargic. This is the reason why we have,am oligarchy.

  7. If everything is above board why has their never been an answer about where the Gadhafi $15 million went.

    Gonsalves is a lighter shade of pale.

    We skipped the light fandango
    Turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor
    I was feeling kind of seasick
    But the crowd called out for more
    The room was humming harder
    As the ceiling flew away
    When we called out for another drink
    The waiter brought a tray
    And so it was that later
    As chief miller told his tale
    That his face, at first just ghostly
    Turned a whiter shade of pale
    He said there is no reason
    And the truth is plain to see
    But I wandered through my playing cards
    And would not let him be
    One of sixteen Marxist monsters
    Who were leaving for the coast
    And although my eyes were open
    They might just as well’ve been closed
    And so it was that later
    As chief miller told his tale
    That his face, at first just ghostly
    Turned a whiter shade of pale

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