The national flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) was, on Thursday, installed at the United Nations Security Council as the nation begin its historical two-year term as a non-permanent member.
In June 2019, SVG became the smallest nation ever, in terms of landmass and population, to be elected to the UN’s highest decision-making body.
Speaking at the flag installation ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York, I. Rhonda King, SVG’s permanent representative to the UN said:
“All over the world, there is a growing disquiet. People are rising up. Many, if not most, are young and they are calling on those with power to correct the current trajectory of our planet and our politics.”
She said that SVG, a small island developing state, a mere 40 years after reclaiming its independence from colonial powers, was taking up its seat for the first time as an elected member of the Security Council.
“This day is a historic one, not only because we are the smallest nation ever to sit on the security council but also perhaps because the urgency of now calls for fresh, disinterested and impartial perspectives on the seemingly intractable problems of our day,” King said.
She said that SVG has no “geopolitical axe to grind”.
“We are just a young nation that yearns for a better world. We come to the task with a team that largely comprises young, well-educated, enthusiastic and creative thinkers,” King said.
She noted that she, Kingstown’s permanent representative to the UN, is female, as are the two deputy permanent representatives, political coordinator, and legal advisor.
“Indeed, we are a team that is two-thirds female,” she said to applause. “That, too, is probably historic.”
The envoy, however, said that above all, “we are a Caribbean people”.
She said that according to SVG’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, “We, metaphorically speaking, comprise the sounds of Caribs — our indigenous people — the rhythm of Africa, the chords of Asia, the melody of Europe and the lyrics of the Caribbean itself.
“With this uniquely blended psyche, we go forth with the audacity and the hope of making a small contribution toward the creation of transformative, resilient new realities,” King said.
She thanked the member states of the UN General Assembly for placing their trust in SVG.
“We will endeavour every day for the next two years to maintain that trust by discharging our duties and responsibility with integrity, steadfast adherence to the rule of law, the values and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter,” the envoy said.
Using the words of Rhonda King who tell us that “All over the world, there is a growing disquiet. People are rising up. Many, if not most, are young and they are calling on those with power to correct the current trajectory of our planet and our politics.” One would say, yes Rhonda, particularly so in SVG or has you not taken the time notice!
We have here in SVG an unaccountable dynastic family rule, rampant nepotism as opposed to appointments through merits, abuse of power by government and Civil Servants, severe Crony Capitalism and worst to cap it all, a contested election whose result is yet to be resolved, the outcome yet unresolved even while we are on the cusp of the next scheduled election.
What disgraceful travesty, especially on a people who are the disposed descendants of so many enslaved African? Now how do such things stack up for thoroughly good democratic politics?
Surely, all right thing Vincentians can see that this rush for this U.N seat as we continue to beg our way around the world for Grant Aid and income support, is nothing but the grandiose delusional aspiration of one old man and his family, since the same will add nothing to this country’s earnings while the mass of the people here will remain unemployed.
What twisted priority? Am I wrong for asking for Vincentian jobs first over and above all else? Am I wrong to say physician, heal thyself?
But will that vote in the security council be for sale like the general assembly vote is?
We are proud to be sitting on SATAN SEAT another prideful moment for the Christian island st Vincent and the grenadine so said your ENEMY.
Lol I guess..what’s the girl in the red Instagram..sugar mami flavor
How is this making the poor and indegent lives better… The majority of us will still live in poverty. Who feels it knows it. When the few of you bank accounts and belly bigger than ever, do you care about the majority who is the poor and indegent?
Dear JOLLY GREEN, as you are here asking, “But will that vote in the Security Council be for sale like the general assembly vote is?” you may well find the following paper of profound interest, since as a nation, we only survive on “foreign aid gifts” rather than our own in country economic productions.
In a June 2006 paper at the Department of Economics, Harvard University and written by Ilyana Kuziemko and Eric Werker, titled “How Much Is a Seat on the Security Council Worth? Foreign Aid and Bribery at the United Nations”, the authors write;
“We find that a country’s U.S. aid increases by 59 percent and its U.N. aid by 8 percent when it rotates onto the council. This effect increases during years in which key diplomatic events take place (when members’ votes should be especially valuable) and the timing of the effect closely tracks a country’s election to, and exit from, the council. Finally, the U.N. results appear to be driven by UNICEF, an organization over which the United States has historically exerted great control”.
http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/06-029.pdf
However it may be rather doubtful if it is U.S or U.K Aid the fat man is after, they are more likely to be Russian and Iranian, Syrian and Turkish since Taiwan, Cuban and Venezuelan are already assured. African Aid too may well be on the cards.
Judging from events in the past that have brought us here to the Caribbean, the fat man who is no stranger to history, may well be casting his eyes on large African Aid packages. Watch this space!
James how can we be sure where the extracted goes and is it svg or who which benefits from it?
This is the very poor example of democracy that our grossly immoral and presumed illegitimate Government lead by the family says that they are in favour of and would no doubt defend at the UN.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/venezuela-guaido-blocked-congress-crucial-vote-200105172450482.html
My dear R, what the UN appointment may well do, is to assist “the family” with their agenda and retirement programme and extend our scope for begging the world over, but as to jobs for the rest of this sad neglected country of ours, we need to get weaving and recover real and true strength and dignity in our lives.
Precisely
These niceties are good to see. But what concerns me is the 46% of Vincentians who are of working age yet have no jobs. We are constantly bombarded by narratives from all sides about thing which we have no deeper knowledge of understanding of. Another things that concerns me is that the courts are biased in favor of the elite. I hope that the people involved in this take away insights and knowledge that are beneficial ti SVG. Now your are on the counsel your can look into with percentage of the SVG population live in foreign places. You can also gather other important population statistics. I sure the will raise your hair.