The proposed port in Rose Place will be a stillborn project if the government does not make its plans available for opposition scrutiny, Member of Parliament for West Kingstown, Daniel Cummings warned Saturday night.
Cummings was, on Nov. 5, re-elected to a third consecutive five-year term with a 716-vote margin, 272 more than his second term victory.
And, with the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), of which Cummings is chairman, having secured the majority vote in the general elections, despite its electoral defeat under the first-past-the-post system, he said that it would not be politics as usual
“Tonight, I want to send a word of warning to those who think they can govern us in the way they have in the past. We are the majority and we speak with authority,” he told party supporters.
“There is a project in West Kingstown to develop the port. We have no difficulty with the port. In previous times, I have asked even in Parliament for the documents related to that project.
“Listen to me, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Listen to me, ULP. The people of West Kingstown have given me the authority to speak on their behalf. If you do not dialogue with me and if you do not make all the information available to me on that project, that project will be dead,” Cummings said.
The Ralph Gonsalves Unity Labour Party administration is proposing to construct a new port in Rose Place to replace the 60-year-old deep-water harbour at the other end of the city.
Cummings said he has been discussing the project with residents of Rose Place, a finishing community where the only remaining beach in the city is located.
At the polling station located at the Public Health Building in Rose Place, 242 ballots were cast from among the 380 registered electors in the Nov. 5 elections.
Two of those ballots were rejected and 148 of the votes went to Cummings, while 92 went to the ULP’s Deborah Charles, who failed in her second bid to wrest the seat from Cummings.
Cummings said:
“I speak with the authority of the people of East Kingstown. I have been dialoguing with them, I have sat with them; I have listened to them. I am not talking about myself. I am talking about what the people want.
“We are the majority and therefore we have the authority and we say to you, bring it on, bring it on, you will see what people power can be. The people want better and you will not stop it. That’s all I have to say, a word to the wise is enough.”
Cummings also addressed speculation that he will not serve out his current term, the party having suffered its fifth consecutive electoral defeat.
“West Kingstown, SVG, listen to me, there are people who say I will not proceed, that I will pack up and go away. They tried when they damaged my back, I did not run; they destroyed my winery, I did not run,” he said.
He added that his wife, who lives and works in Trinidad, cannot come to St. Vincent because of the corona virus pandemic, adding, “and the reason she is not here is because of the ULP.
“St. Vincent and the Grenadines and West Kingstown, my mission is clear. My mission is the rescue of this country and to let the people have a life that they deserve and Daniel Cummings is here with a mission that is not complete and he will ever run until the end is there,” he said.
The fishing community is furious
You are quite so right Mr. Cummings.
West Kingstown says it all.
I like Cummings, he’s actually more prime ministerial than Friday..he should be given a chance to lead the NDP..my 2 cents
He sounds determined. It is like a vicious dog that will not let go of your leg.That may be why a few politicians in the ULP seem to hate him with a passion, but his constituency love him. I think the ULP realizes they need to make some changes in the way they do things. Maybe working with the opposition (unity) is the way to go.
I lived in Bremen Germany for years. The two parties always form a work-together unity government after every election…and it works!
He should not retire.
He looks and sounds lean and mean like a fightin’ machine!