By *Jomo Sanga Thomas
(“Plain Talk” Oct. 3, 2025)
In his most backward display of global politics yet, Gonsalves, known for his relatively progressive positions on international issues, took the mic at the United Nations last week to launch a cowardly and opportunistic attack on the People’s Republic of China. His diplomatic assault on Beijing placed him squarely on the side of President Donald Trump and the section of the American ruling circles who have long called for the isolation of and aggression against the world’s second-largest economic power.
In a thinly-veiled attack on the people’s republic, Gonsalves told the world body his government, alone in our Caribbean, faced a challenge from “nefarious activities of the agents of a rising, or risen, hegemon from another hemisphere, and from some greedy, unprincipled non-state operators in Europe, acting in concert, seeking to pollute, and interfere in, our democracy, our free and fair elections which are scheduled to be held later this year”.
In recent years, Gonsalves has repeatedly claimed, without a shred of evidence, that citizens of our country, particularly some in the local media, are paid agents of the Chinese government who freely and openly recruit anti-government individuals, as well as sponsor and pay for their appearances in the media to attack his Unity Labour Party government.
Previously, the true intent of Gonsalves’ dastardly lie that defames independent-minded Vincentians was to toady up to his pay masters in Taiwan, which desperately needs diplomatic cover as 180 of the world’s 193 nations sever relations with it and recognise the industrial workhorse of the modern world.
Who would ever forget Gonsalves’ April 5, 2023, boast at the signing of a US$120 million loan that his borrowing policy, which at that point showed us owning Taiwan upwards of $600 million, was a “hook in the gill” of our nation. Currently, our nation’s debt to Taiwan is close to EC$1 billion.
Gonsalves’ statement at the UN last week was akin to an undignified “blowhard” joining the reactionary regime of Donald Trump, who is labelling China as a threat to the world and, more precisely, a danger to our democracy.
He noted that his government and population have another challenge from the “hegemon from another hemisphere whose conduct is unacceptable and hugely injurious to our people”. He told the delegates at the United Nations that “as a free and independent people, we have the right to pursue our quest for shared prosperity peacefully and securely, without domination, interference, or intervention from any of our neighbours or from any power that comes from afar”.
A few things need to be placed in context. Of the 14 countries in CARICOM, nine maintain decades-long relations with the People’s Republic of China. Belize, Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are among the 13 countries that cling to Taiwan’s coattails. None of these countries claims that Beijing is a threat to their democracy or way of life.
What makes St. Vincent and the Grenadines special? Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and the other five CARICOM all have cordial relations with China. None of the parties there speaks of China’s inappropriate involvement in their political affairs. Why are we a target of the Chinese? The answer lies in the crabbed imaginings of Gonsalves, who, in a desperate attempt to hold on to power and continue his misrule of our country, sees enemies at every turn.
The genesis of this silly talk can be traced back to 2016, when the opposition declared that upon assuming power, it would sever ties with Taiwan and establish relations with the People’s Republic.
The real question, though, is this: why go to the other side of the earth in search of enemies when a far more aggressive hegemon claims our entire hemisphere as its backyard? Moreover, the United States, as is reflected in its regime change threat to Venezuela and its criminal economic blockage and sabotage of Cuba and Nicaragua, seems to give the “progressive” Gonsalves a pass.
Gonsalves has governed with the thinnest of parliamentary margins since the 2010 elections. His party, for the first time since 1998, failed to win the support of the majority of voters in the 2020 elections. In addition to pressure against Venezuela and Cuba, the American hegemon joined with the British overlords to remove Chedi Jagan from power in Guyana (1953), overthrew and killed President Allende of Chile in 1973, destabilised Jamaica (1972 to 1980) and eventually chased Manley out of power in preference to the reactionary Edward Siaga, and hounded the People Revolutionary Government of Maurice Bishop’s New Jewel until it imploded in 1983.
It’s a little more than passing strange that the enigmatic Gonsalves has never pointed a finger at the hegemon in Washington as one of his detractors. Previously is tirades about foreign “mind benders” were directed at the Strategic Communications Laboratories, a British behavioural research and strategic communications company. Never once a word or accusation against the Central Intelligence Agency, a sworn enemy of all truly progressive governments. We can’t say Washington and Gonsalves are strange bedfellows. They are more like peas in a pod.
As our elders fondly say, “damn fool ah tark but nah damn fool ah listen”. In Sulle’s poetic voice, “nah mek ULP tek yo mind this time”. In this crucial election cycle, we have a unique chance to get this proverbial monkey off our back.
*Jomo Sanga Thomas is a lawyer, journalist, social commentator and a former Speaker of the House of Assembly in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The opinions presented in this content belong to the author and may not necessarily reflect the perspectives or editorial stance of iWitness News. Opinion pieces can be submitted to [email protected].
Ralph Gonsalves has revealed himself to be a self-serving leader. His flawed reasoning will not achieve true independence or prosperity but will instead result in persistent unemployment near fifty percent, a decline in agriculture, and a negligible fisheries sector. Citizens will bear the burden of high taxes while at least half the population remains below the poverty line, all while the IMF and World Bank perpetuate a cycle of dependency and poverty.
The contradiction in his foreign policy is glaring: he opposes China yet is blind to the imperial hegemony of the United States and its aggressive policies, such as the desire to invade Venezuela for its oil. His failure to acknowledge this reality is inexplicable.
For St. Vincent and the Grenadines to achieve true economic independence, it must confront the lingering legacy of colonial structures and global inequality. The nation’s current reliance on stringent IMF and World Bank loans perpetuates a cycle of debt and poverty. Furthermore, the need for so many citizens to seek opportunity abroad, primarily in the United States, highlights a domestic economy that fails to provide sufficient prospects. Until these systemic issues are addressed, SVG’s full potential for sovereignty and widespread prosperity will remain out of reach.
Just to add an interesting context with respect to the Caribbean countries that “still cling to Taiwan’s coat tails”! This, without here publicly articulating a preference one way or the other, although clear strategic thinking may point in a particular direction. The case of St. Lucia.
Upon taking government in 1997, the ST. Lucia Labor Party, an openly declared “sister party” of the now governing ULP, immediately switches its recognition from Taiwan to China, a move that was at the time applauded by Ralph Gonsalves!
In 2006, The SLP lost government to the UWP , a declared “sister party” of the NDP which is now again seriously challenging the ULP for government in SVG. The UWP switched recognition back to Taiwan, a move that was viewed with some amount of distaste by Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of SVG since 2001.
In 2011, the SLP returned to government in one of a series of governmental musical political chairs that has seemingly become the norm in SLU. Again the SLP made overtures to switch again to China. At this point however, China were engaged in a process of easing tensions and strengthening relations and links between themselves.
In these circumstances, it was preferable to China to discourage further disruption of Taiwan’s international profile. China therefore did not entertain the efforts being made by the newly elected ULP Government , and indicated that the prevailing status quo should remain for the time being. This was somewhat reluctantly accepted by the SLP government, and it was on this basis that Taiwan continued to recognised by St. Lucia.
It also must be acknowledged that Taiwan has been very generous in providing technical and financial assistance to St. Lucia as it has to SVG. One thing to be borne in mind though, is during the period of the exploration of rapprochement between China and Taiwan at the start of the second decade, one thing that was being given thought was the continuation of Taiwanese support along the lines previously established.
All of this makes Gonsalves’ utterances at the UN more amazing and bewildering!