The opposition New Democratic Party’s (NDP) Central Leeward candidate Conroy Huggins made his maiden public address in Georgetown on Friday, describing the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration as “economic assassins”.
He said that he has a plan to turn around the 503 votes by which the ULP’s Orando Brewster won the seat in 2020 and break Labour’s 30-year hold on the constituency.
The educator, who was fired under the government COVID-19 vaccine mandate in 2021, said that Brewster began to work one day after his candidacy was announced earlier this month.
“So, after I was announced the Thursday, he starts to work the Friday,” Huggins told an event in Mt. Bentick, to mark the opening of the office of Senator Shevern John, the NDP’s North Windward candidate.
“And he is going to continue working now and delivering as I instruct him. You understand what I am saying? Because we come to give leadership and even before we get into office, we’re putting them to work,” Huggins said.
He told the young people of Georgetown that the future is bright with the NDP.
“That administration, I see them as a thing of the past and you have to confirm it whenever the elections are called that you go out and you vote overwhelmingly for Senator Shevern John,” Huggins said.
“It is time for change. Enough of the wickedness, enough of the evil that we have been suffering for the last two decades.”
He said that too many civil servants are without jobs not because they did not want to work or illness.
“… but because the state wants to impose itself on people’s sovereign rights. And that’s wrong. I am certain one of you, many of you have someone who has been affected by the wickedness of this administration,” Huggins said.
“You are one?” he said in response to a member of the audience. “Me ah one, too and plenty ah arwe.
“I call them economic assassins because when a government attacks its own people and put them otta wuk, it means you’re leaving them to suffer and die. And, as a people, a proud Vincentian people, a proud Garifuna people, we have to stand up against them and let them know, enough, no more.
“We are standing for our rights, we are standing for our children’s rights, and we are standing for the future of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Huggins said this is not a time to back down or stay in a corner.
“This is a time where everyone must stand up. Those of you who are serving in the civil service, those of you in the private sector, it doesn’t matter where you are, it is time for change.”
In 2020, Brewster, a first-time candidate, defeated the NDP’s Ben Exeter by 503 votes as he made his second bid to win the seat.
In 2015, faced with a tough challenge by Exeter, the ULP retired the then MP, Maxwell Charles, after a single five-year term and brought former MP, Sir Louis Straker out of retirement to face Exeter.
Sir Louis won the seat by 313 votes amidst alleged irregularities that led to an election petition that ended with the High Court upholding the election result.
“In Central Leeward, they have this seat for the last 30 years. They won it — if they did win it — according to the data by 503 votes. And up comes Conroy, stepping up, stepping into Central Leeward,” Huggins said.
Someone in the audience shouted, “And you ah go lick that down.”
Hugging responded, “Come on nah, mon. Me ah go lick that down. Because now ah time fuh change.
“That 503, we already start to pull it around, because right now in Central Leeward, there is a wave going on of people converting and coming around since Conroy Huggins has been announced.”
He said the wave did not stop there.
“After Dr. Kishore Shallow announced two weeks after me, the thing tun up,” he said, referring to the NDP’s North Leeward candidate.
“And after the thing tun up, the man up yah head geh hut up. Man head hut up. And we going hut up the man head more, right into elections.
“And, come high, come low, we bringing it home. This is the time. This is the season. Let’s get it done!” Huggins said, quoting an NDP slogan.
How long must we wait for Godly men to arise to rule?
Shemley, it’s all in Jesus time, even though He is one hundred years late He will be still on time , a thousand years in His sight is like an evening gone. We all can hardly wait for that deliverance day. 🙏
What are people thinking after they read this?