NDP completes candidate selection with Jackson in Marriaqua

The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) completed its candidate selection for the next general election when its Marriaqua constituency council voted for Phillip Jackson as their preferred candidate.

Jackson, who was making his second bid, defeated Laverne “Gypsy” Phillips, who had expressed interest in 2020 but had withdrawn her bid as three candidates went through the selection exercise.

After the 2020 primary, the NDP’s central executive council rejected the council nomination of accountant Kirk Da Silva, opting instead for Bernard Wyllie, a former MP who was voted out of office in 1998.

Wyllie went on to lose the election as the ruling Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) Jimmy Prince was returned for a second consecutive five-year term, extending the hold that the ULP has had on Marriaqua since 1998.

“I feel very honoured. I’m also very elated and happy about the choice the people of Marriaqua made, and I’m dedicated to ensuring that I fulfil their wishes in bringing home the seat of Marriaqua for the NDP,” Jackson told iWitness News after the vote on Monday — two days before Christmas.

Jackson said his first bid worked in his favour as he made his second attempt to become the candidate.

“… the folks have gotten to know me a bit better. And the second time around, I was able to organise better. I was able to reach out to more people in a more efficient way.

“And I think also I get a sense that the time is ripe for this, and that’s what folks have said to me, and I feel the same way. And I want to give God the honour and glory and the praise but I want to thank the people for believing in me and giving me that resounding mandate this time around.”

Jackson’s candidacy has to be ratified by the central executive committee of the NDP and the party’s leader, Godwin Friday, who is also leader of the opposition, said this will take place in January.

Jackson holds a first degree in biological sciences and ecosystems and a master’s degree in innovation management and entrepreneurship.

He is pursuing a doctorate in economic development policy, “with specific emphasis on an area that is very important to the four pillars of the NDP, which is digitalisation of the economy, and which we describe in our pillars as the new economy”.

Jackson pointed out that he has experience throughout the Caribbean, having worked at three regional institutions in policy development, private sector development and development in general.

This is in addition to “my substantial experience in the government of St. Vincent and Grenadines in the areas of science, technology and innovation.

“So. I feel I am well prepared; I’ve been given a lot of opportunities for which I’m very grateful and very thankful. And I think this has put me in good stead to now contribute to the development of St. Vincent under a new regime that cares deeply for the people and their interest and their development.”

Jackson is expected to face off with Prince as he bids for a third consecutive term as MP for Marriaqua.

Jackson said he would be a candidate for everyone.

“I’ll be a candidate who cares about what the people really care about. I’ll be a candidate who makes sure that I bring out the strengths of the people that they themselves have inside of them, the wisdom, the knowledge, the talents, the resources that they have.

“Because I believe that the village knows more than the individual and I will make sure that I organise to ensure that the people of Marriaqua bring their best selves, their best resources, their best efforts, together to make Marriaqua better. It’s not just about the politician.”

He said he wants “a movement of people to people for development. And the politician is just a facilitator and I’m very confident that I can bring that sort of organisation and help the people of Marriaqua realise their true potential”.

Jackson, a public servant, is the government’s science and technology coordinator.

“And I’m now in my fifth ministry, the Ministry of Education, so I’ve have substantial experience with working in many ministries across the government over the last 20 years.”

Meanwhile, Phillips pledged to support Jackson in his bid to win the seat for the NDP.

She said her bid was “difficult …, time-consuming.

“… But, nonetheless, if you really want to ensure that Marriaqua and not only Marriaqua, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, gets back to the place that every single one of us wants to see St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have to put in the work.

“And I chose to put in the work even though I was unsuccessful. But that doesn’t mean that I would not work with Philip. I will be giving him my full support, 100% support.”

After the primary, Friday described himself as the “very happy president of the New Democratic Party”.

He said that the candidate selection was building to the big contest – the general elections.

“… we have now selected 15 candidates. We have in each constituency, and of course, we go through the process of ratification sometime in January.

“But we have a challenge ahead of us. That is to win the next election. We know that we can win it, and we have been putting the pieces in place all the time to get that done,” Friday said of the NDP, which had been in opposition since 2001.

The opposition leader described Jackson as “a very capable man.

“He’s a very well-trained individual. He has vast experience in regional work, and I believe that he’s going to bring tremendous enthusiasm and push to Marriaqua and that we are going to win that constituency.”


Friday said that Philips was gracious in defeat and had pledged her support for Jackson’s candidacy, adding that Wyllie, who was absent from Monday’s primary, would do likewise.

iWitness News noted that the candidate selection was taking place two days before Christmas.

“It’s a Christmas present to the nation — to the people of Marriaqua and to all of us,” Friday said, adding that it took some doing to get the delegates to attend the primary that night.

“… but I’m so happy that so many of them came out here to be a part of it because they know the importance of it. And you’re right. We are in the Christmas spirit…

“We are setting the groundwork here now to go forward in the New Year in a full campaign to change the government so we could change St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the better.”