A first-time election candidate has noted that the ruling Unity Labour (ULP) is yet to transition to a new leader, 10 years after Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves asked for another term in office to do so.
Gonsalves, who turns 79 in August, has been leading the ULP since 1998. During the campaign for the 2015 general election, he asked the electorate to give him another term to mould a new generation of leaders.
However, he is poised to lead the ULP in its bid for an unprecedented sixth consecutive five-year term in office in general elections expected by November, ahead of the February 2025 constitutional deadline.
Speaking at a campaign event in Sion Hill, Conroy Huggins, the main opposition New Democratic Party’s (NDP) candidate for Central Leeward noted that his party ended 2024 with all of its election candidates in place.
“Man in government since 2020, new administration, until now they can find candidates,” he said, referring to the ULP.
“So, tell me which party is ready. We are the party that is ready,” Huggins said, adding, “This is a year for change, year for change, year for change.”
Huggins, a former educator who lost his job under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate said that the government has mismanaged tourism, youth, unemployment, crime and violence.
“I mean, they seem not to have a handle on anything at all. This election is an election of change, but it is also an election that is rested on future leadership for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Now tell me something, would you put your hope and trust in an almost 80-year-old to take us to the promised land? The time fuh go home done past; done expired.
“But check it out now… After 10, 15 years, they said they had leadership transition, and up to now, the transition can’t seem to pass on. It shows insecurity at their leadership level, and as a result of that, for the 2025 election, as a nation, we cannot allow ourselves to keep ourselves with these insecure leaders.”
He said NDP President and Opposition Leader Godwin Friday has put together “a blend with experience and youth.
“But not only that, each of the youth that came in the party came in fully loaded and ready to run, ready to move.”
Huggins said that Grenada Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell is in his 40s.
“Africans right now are asking ‘But this man is so special.’ They are so impressed with the work of this man. They want to know ‘But wait, we need somebody like him in Africa.’”
Referring to SVG, Huggins said:
“But this guy doesn’t want to go. This is the year for him to go. This is the year for him to go. And this is the year 2025, for change that we will see an NDP administration taking St. Vincent and the Grenadines forward. For 2025 all of St. Vincent, Walvaroo, East, Kingstown, we, as a nation, we need to bring about this change for 2025.”
As long as Ralph Gonsalves remains in power we will always be underdeveloped and lacking skills. Half of the youth is unemployed who are smart as ever. Our people are suffering. You have to do everything by hand, No big fishing boats, no industrial agriculture equipment. Everybody is looking to leave for Western countries where there are better opportunities. Look at the African continent despite having most of the world’s mineral wealth they are underdeveloped and begging. This is what the west wants. This is what ULP/Gonsalves agenda. Keep himself and his friend rich and the country poor. Wake up SVG.
To long in this no going forward only he and his family want to live his son will never leaders in St Vincent and the grenadines people in St Vincent and the grenadines is time to get up to long in this 😭😭😭😭😭 every day just remember God will never let us down so is time to let God take over St Vincent and the grenadines and give it to the hand of the NDP they will do a good job yes we can do it