The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) says it is moving closer to announcing its candidates for Central Leeward and North Leeward in the next general elections, constitutionally due by February 2026.
“People have to make strategic, technical, tactical, financial, physical, mental, moral decisions, and all of those things are in the equation,” St. Clair Leacock, who is acting as the party’s leader while its president, Opposition Leader Godwin Friday is overseas, said on the NDP’s radio show, referring to the potential candidates.
“And this is something which I know in the fullness of time, and that fullness, I’m not waiting for full moon, will be declared,” he said. “What I also encouraged by is that the new names of people that will be unveiled not so long from now will have the benefit also of youngifying the party.”
Leacock, 73, said he was glad about this because the NDP could not be running “indefinitely long” on him and NDP chairman and West Kingstown MP, Daniel Cummings, who is around a similar age and each into their third five-year term as an MP.
“For some of us, this is our last hurrah. Some of us just holding on for a next election because we want to see NDP into government,” he said.
“But there are young, talented, attractive professionals,” he said, referring to the candidates that the NDP will announce, noting that after winning an election, a party has to manage the country.
The NDP vice president said that there are “101 things” that affect the outcome of an election, including
“candidates, money, material, message, infrastructure, leadership, constituency organisation, government, Ralph…” – a reference to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
Leacock said all of these elements are like spokes emanating from a hub.
“So, let’s take one of the spokes out. What will help NDP win the next election? Candidates always matter,” he said.
“It matters that Cummings is in West Kingstown, that I am in Central Kingstown, that Fitz [Bramble] is in East Kingstown, that Laverne [Velox] had a fantastic showing and can push [Minister of Finance] Camillo [Gonsalves] over in East St. George, that Nature (Nigel Stephenson) wins by the most in South Leeward, North Windward is doing fantastically well under Shevern John and Ralph trying to manipulate the southern Grenadines to get a toehold in the Grenadines.”
Leacock noted that he was standing in as leader of the party until Friday returns to the country.
Dr. Friday is more measured and careful about the subject matter than I am, and I respect that and understand that, but I am also very sensitive to the concerns that our supporters have as to our own state of readiness,” Leacock said.
He said he was respecting his obligation “to stay in line with how he would want these things transcribed. I have a good sense because I asked him the same question that John Public asks of me. ‘Where are we with respect to constituency A, B, C, D, E, or F?’
“And I know that he is working, over time to deliver the names of candidates.”
Leacock said that in some of the constituencies, some good things are happening for the NDP.
“Take North Leeward, for example. We have extremely good candidates. It’s just as your team song played a while ago, in North Leeward, our cup is full and running over.”
He said the NDP knows it cannot take an inordinate amount of time to name that candidate.
“We understand that, we get that because not everybody … who you could name them today and they’re ready for tomorrow.
“Some people need a sufficiency of lead time to win a seat. So, we also get that, but I’m saying to our supporters, you have to trust the leadership of the party on the subject matter.”
He said he has asked Friday expressly about Central Leeward.
“Some people who want to make themselves as candidates for the New Democratic Party also have to look at themselves, their immediate family relationship, their wife and their children.
“They also have to look at the job situation and how to take care of themselves. If I declare myself as a candidate tomorrow, how do I mind myself the day after? And how long do I have to be minding myself before an election is called?”
Leacock said that in addition to having a good cadre of candidates, the NDP has to look at the candidates’ core competence strengths, “that there are people who could hit the ground running, that there are people who really understand the ethos of the New Democratic Party”.
He said the candidates have to also understand that representative politics is not about themselves or their aggrandisement, “or that they’re not coming to politics or simply for an entitlement or a bling thing or to eat a food”.
You people amaze me. Whether young or old, all the same muck without God. Keep leaving God out of yo all business and see what will happen. I’ll tell you what will happen. You will have another beating from another hurricane that will mashup not only your houses but your bones.
A woman as candidate for PM would be a good choice.
Why not allow the people in the constituencies to make that choice? Have an open location where folks can come to register their names and select the candidates. Ensure there are several names on the list. Let the people chose their representatives, not some “man from town”.