Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says that he will bring to Parliament a law to enshrine the pension rights of public servants who returned to their jobs after being fired under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
“I know we have had some differences, and there is a minority of public servants — small minority — during the time of COVID, some of us had a difference,” Gonsalves said during a church service in Kingstown on Monday to mark Public Service Day.
“And some of you probably even demonstrated against me when I went to Parliament, and which is your right. And I’m absolutely sure that none of you had anything to do with busting my head, so I don’t hold those things in my mind,” the prime minister said.
He was speaking about the law that his Cabinet passed in 2021, which resulted in hundreds of public sector employees losing their jobs for not taking a COVID-19 jab.
On Aug. 5, 2021, Gonsalves was injured after he was struck in the head while walking through a crowd of protesters on his way to Parliament in Kingstown.
In his comments on Monday, Gonsalves defended the decision of his government in 2021, saying, “I acted then, and I still believe that I acted correctly to save lives and livelihoods.
“This was a pandemic which was brought upon us by forces outside and challenging and difficult for all of us, and we handled it, I believe, better than most countries in the Caribbean and in the world, and we came out pretty good.”
St. Vincent and the Grenadines was the only CARICOM country to impose a vaccine mandate and did so even as its infection and death rates were lower than most other countries within the bloc.
“There are still some scars,” Gonsalves said. “But we must not allow those scars to be perpetually scabrous.
“As I’ve indicated for a long time now, those of you who chose not to abide by the requirement of the vaccine, as the Parliament had determined, please, if you’re still not back at work, come back to work.”
Gonsalves reiterated that public servants who lost their jobs under the vaccine mandate would not lose any of the benefits that they had accumulated before 2021 if they return to their posts.
“Indeed, without having that embedded in law, there’s a large number of public servants, teachers, police, public servants who can attest to what I’m saying,” Gonsalves said.
“And I intend to put what we have been doing in practice in a legislative form, just in case that, by the hand of God, I’m no longer around, that that benefit will continue. I want to say that to you. Notice I said by the hand of God, not by any other hand, because I intend to be around for quite a long time.”
Vincentians are expected to elect a new government by November, ahead of the February 2026 constitutional deadline.
Yh Ralph you were thinking in he moment about your damn self. You sold out public servants over pocket change from this vaccine. The one thing you did not think about at the time is that you will have to come back to hesam public servants vaccinated or not, to beg for their votes. I want to make this clear public servants should reject every possible bid for forgiveness and pardon from you, and vote against your ulp with vengeance this election.
You dont have one peice of shame. The sad thing is many of those civil servants are going to beleive this crap.
Ralph Gonsalves up to his old tricks again. Watch a sorry face. He looks almost like if he is begging. LOL
Yes u know dis one back u up real good against d wall u were so adamant. Election round d corner so u playing nice. Good luck.
Man just fraid to admit that he was WRONG/MISGUIDED.
What a political prostitute.
He would do anything to stay in power
Opposition do not take d bait, what happen to all d years since dey fire us. He wants to tie up all yo hand and foot wid this one. He cannot b trusted
Ah matter ah fact demand he take that peice of draconian law off d books first, and bring back respectability to civil servants in this country by apologizing for such wicked act
ar yo tooo darm wicked cruel evil, de damage. already done with no remorse. , years of suffering fo families, loss of homes, hunger , stress , seperation of families , even death. Mek ar yo bin appeal de first judge decision and say if yo lost the second appeal ar yo going privy council ? and what about the teacher who still on half pay? ar yo tink ar we will ever ever forget? NO WAY.
and by de way , it my opinion dat ar yo abrasion was accidentally cause by a baton or gun or a watch ,,,, or is it from a remote control object ? which is it? aryo really tink ar we dat dotish eh
Hypocrisy at its best. Either he is going senile or in his eyes vincentians are stupid.
😂 😂 ASPIRATIONAL ?