A vice president of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), which has been in opposition since March 2021, says the next general elections, constitutionally due by February 2026, is “make or break for” the party.
Leacock said that the party will use some of its stronger candidates to bolster first-time contenders or repeat candidates who came close to winning their seats in 2020.
The NDP has retained Central and West Kingstown since 2010 — joining East Kingstown, which the party has held since 1984.
Leacock told a “season of reason” village meeting in Block 2000 on Saturday that what happens in the Kingstown seats is “so important for all of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, because we set a pace and a standard with the heartbeat, with the pulse of the nation.
“And when we give that signal, it radiates throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” the opposition MP said.
The ruling Unity Labour Party is the first in the country to win a general election without the Kingstown seats, having done so in 2010, 2015 and 2020.
“I’m calling this meeting the Season for Reason, and it’s because I want to make sure in short time I have reported to you, I have got your feedback. I know what you want,” said Leacock, who is into his third five-year term as an MP.
“I know that I’m anchored, I am solid as a rock, and that I leave here and go in South windward with Andrew John and win South windward, that I go to South Central Windward with brother Bruce … and we win South Central Windward.”
John, a retired educator and newcomer to electoral politics, has been identified as the NDP’s candidate for South Windward. Bruce failed in his first attempt in 2020 to win South Central Windward, which Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar retained for a third consecutive five-year term.
“Well, I can’t take everything.
“Dr. [Godwin] Friday say leave Central Leeward to him, Fitz [Bramble] working in North Leeward and Daniel [Cummings] tek way Lavern [Velox] in East Saint George from me. Well, I had a problem with that, because the better man wins,” Leacock said, referring to NDP MPs and the candidates they have committed to help to win.
“The point is, this election is make or break for us a New Democratic Party. We already broke the back in the last election, when we won the majority of votes,” Leacock said.
“But we know and we understand there’s a constitutional aspect to this. It is he who wins the most constituencies that forms the government. and we are laser-focused this election on winning the most constituencies in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Leacock, echoing comments by Alvin “Zion-I” Dennie at the rally, noted that people who were 18 when the ULP came to office in 2001 are now in their 40s.
“… many of them with families, some successful, and some still finding life very difficult,” Leacock said.
“But there’s a whole new generation on the horizon, and we need to speak to them and win them, because the work that Dr. Friday and my colleagues and myself that we are doing is not for us.”
He said the NDP MPs are “not by any stretch of the imagination rich” but can look after themselves.
“… but the measure of a good politician is not about himself, what he or she does for those who are dependent on him for their representation, and that’s what Dr. Friday and the Democratic Party brings to politics and in SVG.”
The Central Kingstown MP underscored the work he has done in the constituency, noting that in 1998, the NDP’s Parnell Campbell lost Central Leeward by 500 votes.
Then, in 2001, the ULP’s Conrad Sayers defeated the NDP Joseph “Burns” Bonadie and Keith Boyea.
“In fact, NDP had about 39% of the votes. In 2005, when I ran for the first time, I won that election.
“Campbell told me so. He dead, he can’t defend himself now,” he said, referring to 2005, when Sayers was declared the winner by 14 votes.
“They were so convinced that they had lost the election that they sent Sayers into hiding. And when they said I lost by 14, we know exactly how they stole that election, but by 2010 — God don’t sleep — we came and we won it hands down. 2015, we increased; 2020 we increased.
“And as Kenny, I think, said, this election, which will well be, most definitely my last election,” he said, referring to another constituent that spoke during the meeting.
“I want to win by 1,000 votes; 1,000 solid votes of appreciation,” Leacock said and referring to his military rank, added, “That’s not the point where Major is here this evening.
“When I came to this constituency as a young man 20-something years ago, the NDP had lost. We had lost badly, and we had to rebuild and rebuild we set about to do.”
If you keep coming with a group of old men you will keep loosing.
How do candidates losing by 14 or even 1 or 2 votes in SVG not demand a recount? Or even a re-vote??
The older heads in the NDP should go.I get he impression that’s it’s about them first and foremost. Uppermost in the heads of these older heads in the NDP is revenge.I get the impression that nation building takes second place to vengeance by the venom that comes out from the older parliamentarians in the NDP. Politically, we’re the most immature island in the OECS. NDP has to get rid of these older heads to really make a difference and forge a way forward.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but Mek ar yo hypocrites nar tell de oldest man it’s time to go? he nar still go crawl into the next and other coming elections until he 113. Yo can really tell the massa house and yard slaves.