Public Relations Officer of the Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), Lavern King, on Saturday, unrolled what she said was a scroll on which she had written “unfulfilled promises” that the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) had made to the nation’s youth.
“One thing about the people on the other side, you see them, they love to lie. The people on the other side, dem love to lie,” King told the NDP’s “Hope for Youth Rally” in Campden Park.
She said that she did not want to be accused of lying also and had done her homework.
“I went through the ULP manifesto and I have a list with me … a list with me of all of the promises made by the ULP to the young people of this country that they have not fulfilled,” King said.
“You see how it long?” she said as she unrolled the scroll. “Is a lot, a lot, a lot of things they promised the young people and dem never do,” the NDP spokesperson said.
“This is a scroll of unfulfilled promises that the ULP said that there — is plenty thing they say they going do for we dat dem neva do.”
She said that top of the list is that under the ULP government more and more young people are unemployed.
“In fact, unemployment is at the highest that it has ever been in the history of our country. And this must change. It is for this reason that we need an NDP government and we need it now,” King said.
He said that crime is out of control, with another family left crying “every other day”.
“You know the worst part about all of this? Our Prime Minister is an absentee minister of security, he have the gall, he have the gumption, he have the barefacedness to say that it is us Vincentian women who are the cause of crime; that we are high maintenance,” King said.
“Imagine that! What an insult!” She said the only response to that “insult must be to vote them out”.
King said the NDP has a plan to make St. Vincent and the Grenadines a safer place.
“And it is for this reason that we need an NDP government and we need it now.”
She said Vincentian youth are ambitious and want to work and own business.
King said that a lot of time people are cussing out the young people, saying that they some of them do not work.
“You want to be able to mine yuh pickney and them, nah true? Exactly. Yo want to be able to take care of your family. And I know those of you who are here tonight, we want to be able to pay our bills. We want to be able to do simple things like buying groceries.”
She said that the reality is that several Vincentian families are on the breadline.
“And that simply is no way to live. It is not our culture to be beggy-beggy. And it is for that reason that the NDP is all about empowering our people. It is for that reason that [NDP leader] Dr. [Godwin] Friday has proposed the innovation hub,” King said.
She said the innovation hub isa place where people would be able to go with your ideas and get help to bring them to life.
“This hub will be the centre to transform your ideas to reality,” King said, adding that it will be staffed by market research officers, business development officials, and government-appointed small and medium sized enterprise personnel.
“And they will help you find funding for your business ideas. Whether or not that funding comes through grants or through loans that are offered at minimal interest rates to help you along the way,” King explained.
She said many young people have ideas they want to bring to life.
“This hub will help young people to move their families out of poverty. And it is for that reason, friends, that we need an NDP government and we need it now.”
King noted that some people can become passionate about politics and resort to ‘cussing out people and all ah dat.
“But I want us in the NDP family to remember this: we cannot form government with our votes alone,” she said.
“So, when somebody decides to come from the other side, we must be embracive of them. We must welcome them. We must let them know that this NDP tent is big and we are welcoming them. If you are on the other side and you want to come over, now is the time to come,” King said.
“Because you have realised that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is not where it is supposed to be. So, my NDP family, I encourage you; don’t cuss them out on Facebook. Don’t chastise them. Welcome them. This tent is big, and that is the mantra of our leader to be embracive and to welcome others.”
At the beginning of the speech, King told the crowd that she was given seven minutes to speak and she wanted them to hold her accountable.
She, however, spoke for 10 minutes and 33 seconds.