Central Kingstown MP St. Clair Leacock is challenging Prime Minister Ralph to personally remove the homicide statistic billboard that the New Democratic Party (NDP) erected at Gibson Corner on May 17.
“So, we put up a billboard and the audacity of the Physical Planning Board want to give the New Democratic Party 24 hours, one day to take down the billboard,” said Leacock, a former deputy chair of the board.
“Well, Ralph, go and take it on yourself. Don’t carry nobody. You’re strong man, you pelt coconut from tree to knock down people on the ground,” Leacock said, referring to an incident that Gonsalves said occurred between him and his brother when they were children.
“I believe you could lift up a billboard,” Leacock said.
Since the billboard was erected, the Physical Planning Board has written to the NDP, saying that it had not given permission for the billboard to be erected and gave the party 24 hours to remove it.
The board also informed the NDP that it had seven days to appeal the decision.
iWitness News was reliably informed that the NDP has since applied for permission to erect the billboard.
Leacock said NDP President and Leader of the Opposition, Godwin Friday has reiterated that the NDP would function within the law.
“Let me repeat that: we will function within the law. But we will not grovel or be humiliated by Ralph and company. If they want the billboard down, don’t even send a forklift. You, Ralph, go and lift it up yourself. You is a strong man, you ‘hard fi dead’,” Leacock said.
He accused the government of not being serious about tackling crime.
Leacock spoke about the cache of ammunition that police seized at the Campden Park Container Port in April.
Police said they seized one .38 special revolver, a comprehensive assortment of ammunition totalling 2,538 rounds, covering calibres such as .40mm, 9mm, .380, FN 5.7 x 28mm, and .22. ammunition; an extended magazine and a number of fireworks” at the port.
“They could have had a sting operation to wait until the person who was coming to clear it clear it so that they could make an arrest and make the connection between the sender and the receiver,” Leacock said.
“School children say who send it also has family working at the port and it ain’t a first time. Have you heard the government of St. Vincent and Grenadines express shock and horror? Have you heard the Police Force speak about it?” Leacock said.
“All you hear, don’t make people send things in your name, barrel in your name,” he said, referring to comments that Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who is also minister of national security, made after the weapon and ammunition were intercepted.
“That’s the trivial way,” Leacock said.
The opposition MP spoke about the jet that “disappeared” after leaving Canouan last December.
“An aircraft comes here to a Grenadine island, it orders nearly 2000 gallons, I think, or something like that, of fuel, takes off his transponder or whatever and disappears, purportedly with drugs. We don’t know what went, what came. Where is the government statement on it?” Leacock said.
As the old folks used to say “Mary Grace have in that.
Those boards are working very well someone is now on the backfoot
I don’t have a problem with the billboard, except you don’t put the cart before the horse. If claim to be working within the law, then do so by filing whatever applications are necessary.
While I agree that crime is not being address ed seriously in SVG, I think some of those bill boards can have a negative impact on the tourism sector. The Police Department needs some serious upgrades to bring their officers up to speed with more modern crime fighting techniques.I also would like to suggest the development of a citizen app, so citizens can be alerted when a crime is in progress.They can then forward valuable information to law enforcement to help solve crimes quickly.