On Sunday, the Unity Labour Party (ULP) threw a multi-million-dollar celebration at Rabacca, a grand spectacle of self-congratulation and excess. Meanwhile, in the Southern Grenadines, families still struggle to recover from Hurricane Beryl’s devastation, unable to afford something as basic as windows and doors to rebuild their shattered homes.
This stark contrast is not just an oversight — it reflects the ULP’s true priorities: winning elections at any cost, even if it means neglecting the people they claim to serve.
The choice to spend such an exorbitant sum on a political event rather than directing those resources toward disaster relief is not just irresponsible — it’s callous. The Southern Grenadines, still reeling from the hurricane’s destruction, could have used that money for essential rebuilding efforts. Instead, the ULP chose to fund their lavish gatherings and a show of power, again demonstrating that their main concern is securing votes and winning at all costs, not improving lives.
This is not an isolated incident. Time and again, we have seen the government prioritise political survival over meaningful action. Whether it’s disaster response, infrastructure investment, or economic development, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines — especially those of us in the Southern Grenadines — are treated as an afterthought.
A party that truly cares about its people would have redirected those funds toward relief efforts. The ULP could have chartered the Gem Star and headed for the Southern Grenadines at the same time, dressed in their party colour, red, filled it with the much-needed hurricane relief and made a grand spectacle as they distributed it to the Southern Grenadines, mainly Union Island.
This powerful campaign event would have shown us how much they care. A government with compassion and foresight would work tirelessly to ensure that every family affected by Hurricane Beryl has the necessary resources to rebuild. However, the ULP has shown that its concern is optics, not outcomes.
The people of the Southern Grenadines deserve better. They deserve leadership that sees them, listens to them, and prioritises their needs over political fanfare. The multi-million-dollar celebration was more than just a waste — it was a glaring symbol of a government that not only didn’t care about the people of the Southern Grenadines but had lost touch with its citizens’ struggles. And come election time, the people must remember who stood by them in their time of need and who chose to celebrate instead. And for those on the mainland, if you think this is an isolated incident, granny says, “Way na meet yo na pass yo.”
Papaland Boy
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The people are shackled in poverty. The youth continue to be unemployed. Ralph Gonsalves continue to rule in disgrace. We have a rich country while we continue to live in poverty. Agriculture and fisheries continue to suffer. Our lands are being bargained to foreigners. Gonsalves continue to talk the talk but not walk the walk. SVG arise, wake up. Gonsalves just sits there and going to western powers to beg for loans. We are sinking deeper into debt. We have a chain around our necks. End this cycle of broken promises.
I am more than one hundred and ten percent agreement with the headline of this article. It is very true indeed that the ULP cares more about winning elections than they care for people. Believe it or not, for the last 24 years the ULP has taken advantage of the Vincentian people’s need to see modernization. Believe me, I am not against the construction of the Argyle International Airport, the building of bridges, modern clinics, smart hospitals and schools. But ŕightly, it shouldn’t have to come at the expense of the freedom as a people. The ULP administration under the leadership of Ralph Gonsalves has become very authoritarian in nature. It has forcefully vaccinated Vincentians who many have died due the taking of COVID 19 vaccines. This one is less known, out of all the atrocities they have committed for last 24 years.
The ULP administration under leadership Ralph Gonsalves has used the Planning Unit to exact revenge on Vincentians. For example preventing them from building on their own land. The Ralph Gonsalves administration has allowed cost of living to get grossly out of control, while wages remained stagnant. Furthermore, farmers have been cast aside, to languish in poverty and dependency. Unemployment has reached sky high. Moreover, murderous crimes have been the order of the day, for the last 24 years under this administration. Unbelievable, after doing their worst the ULP is asking Vincentians for 5 more years in government. The question is for 5 more years of taking Vincentians into deeper in to poverty, chaos and uncertainty? At this point I
would say with the strongest voice the ULP doesn’t deserve another years in government. My belief is that, they should not be anymore chances in government, they must kicked out this coming general elections. I believe a new government will take its place.
There is an old adage that says a country gets the government that they deserve. Much of the population do not understand the value of their votes. If they had they would not trade their votes for trinkets such as road work or lumber. They are not understand who the should exercise their franchise.
Do you blame the ULP for making voters voting cows? The answer is not at all, there ate benefits of keeping the population ignorant. Ignorant voters are easy to control and be manipulate.
The ULP has mastered the game and that is why there is more likely than not to have six in a row. Six in a row is a recipe for dictatorship. Much of the ULP minsters sole interest is to eat a food.They ate certainly eating a food.
At this point I would say with the strongest voice the ULP doesn’t deserve more years in government. In fact l believe that they should not be given anymore chances in government. Moreover, they must be kicked out, for this coming general elections. Furthermore, a new government should take their place. You know what? We need an editing app installed for the comment section, thank you.
Our country’s GDP continues to be a joke while marsa continues to lick the boots of Western interest, borrowing from everywhere. Announcing big projects everywhere and not producing jobs for our people. The world is a changed place, why do we remain the same?