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Cornelius John at his home with his injured leg in a cast on May 5, 2021. (iWN photo)
Cornelius John at his home with his injured leg in a cast on May 5, 2021. (iWN photo)
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Member of Parliament for Central Leeward, opposition parliamentarian St. Clair Leacock says the authorities can hide murders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

He came to this conclusion based on the fact that the police are yet to disclose the third person present when Cornelius John, 60, was shot at his home on April 13.

“… I find that outrageous. Why the secrecy that you could have a person involved in criminal activity and nine weeks after a commissioner of police doesn’t find it necessary to tell the public these are the three actors?

“And if that could happen, we could hide murders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He should be called upon to resign and the minister of National security should be called upon to resign,” Leacock said.

“Because if we are bringing St. Vincent to that low state of accountability on criminal matters, and justice and rule of law, we have no country. And as you have repeated over and over again, we are not on anybody’s plantation and enough is enough.”

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Leacock, an NDP vice-president, made the comments in a call to his New Democratic Party’s  (NDP) daily radio show on “New Times”, on Monday.

At the time, Leader of the Opposition and party president, Godwin Friday was a guest on the show as Leacock belaboured what he saw as the wrongs of the ULP.

The three-term MP and former senator said he was prepared to stage a one-man protest against the government.

“The Unity Labour Party and Ralph Gonsalves are too comfortable in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, far too comfortable with the misrule that is taking place, and the hunger and the poverty, and the degradation, the absence of faith, and the crime and the violence and the gun shooting must stop and now,” Leacock said.

“The absence of governance in this country, the situation in which we are flying in the face of the rule of law and we want to make it acceptable that this government can do anything is even more serious than the shooting of Mr. John in his foot.”

Karim Nelson Ashelle Morgan
Assistant DIrector of Public Prosecution, Karim Nelson, left, and Senator Ashelle Morgan, are “persons of interest” in the investigation..

John, a farmer and businessman, of Diamond Estate, has said that government senator Ashelle Morgan — who is also a lawyer and deputy speaker of the House of Assembly — and two men whom he did not recognise, went to his house uninvited on April 13.

He said that one of the men shot him in his left leg and Morgan threatened him with a gun before the trio left him there bleeding.

 Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Karim Nelson has also been implicated in the shooting, but police have not disclosed the identity of the third person.

John said that the three people were all wearing face masks, but he was able to recognise Morgan — who grew up in the community — by her physique, gait, and voice.

Leacock also noted that the government has not radio businessman Marcus De Freitas the million of dollars they owe him after acquiring his property about 15 years ago.

St. Clair Leacock
MP for Central Kingstown and NDP Vice-President St. Clair Leacock. (iWN file photo)

He noted that about eight months after the general election, the ULP still has election billboards across the country, in defiance of the planning authorities.

“You have a prime minister who is on leave for three weeks and everyday he is calling and directing the acting prime minister who has an instrument from the governor general, establishing that unless he (the prime minister) rules St. Vincent that nobody can rule St. Vincent,” Leacock said.

The opposition lawmaker was referring to the recent situation when Gonsalves was in Cuba, and his deputy, Montgomery Daniel acted as prime minister.

“It is unacceptable. It cannot happen anywhere else, not in Jamaica, not in Barbados, not in St. Lucia that we have brought ourselves to a situation that only one person has the authority, the ability, the capability, the likeness, the acceptance, whatever the hell we want to call it, to run St. Vincent. We can’t have that.

“So the demonstration is not just about Ashelle Morgan and the deputy DPP and the allegations, but it is about where we are heading is in a deep dark hole and our generations unborn will ask where were we.

“Every school child, every business place, every child and women’s group, every youth group, every clergyman, police man, nurse, public servant, taxi driver, minivan driver, parent, should say we have crossed the redline, the point of no return.”

7 replies on “Shooting shows ‘we could hide murders’ in SVG — Leacock”

  1. It’s such a pity he didn’t have some security cameras in some obscured positions that captured everything then subsequently released it on social media because if he gave it to the police it would have been destroyed.

  2. Me Leacock you sound like the Opposition leader. Dr Friday has lost all credibility on how he choose to be passive and ineffective in dealing with this apparent cover up by the authorities.

    The NDP supporters should call for the resignation of Dr Friday as party leader.

  3. Percival Thomas says:

    Thank you Mr Leacock for articulating some of the things that are so wrong in SVG. Yet so few Vincentians seem to care about what is happening in their country. Vincentians who live in SVG must know the sad state of the country.
    We speak of the Volcano eruptions, Covid-19 and Dengue fever. These things we can do little about, but manage them the best we could. There is another major disaster that been around for a long time and allowed to get out of hand by Vincentians under the guise of democracy and people’s free vote. The on going disaster is our head of government, the ULP and those who knowingly support their wrong doings.
    Vincentians must find a way forward to take back their country or there will be no country left for their grand children and future generations. Like the country we had under Joshua and Cato.
    The Opposition must know that the fight to save SVG ccannot be won in Parliament. The fight to save SVG will be won the streets/roads. This means Vincentians must demonstrate and protest Legally. But leaders must show the way for others to follow. And Mr Leacock you and other leaders will not be alone on any protest. You will have support.

  4. So organize a demonstration to get the people in the country involved. If they turn up to demand justice, then you know they have your back. People from the groups you mention should patriciate. Talking will get you nowhere, so do something.
    I believe this is the time to organize town/village councils, so the entire country is involved.
    Leacock you are afraid of this town/village council idea and that has cost the NDP several elections.
    Most people know the ULP is a criminal government lead by criminals, so you have to try other ideas.
    So what are you afraid of St. Clair?

  5. Well papa owns us the lands and the country and our minds so all who put him there SHUT UP AND BEARS IT

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