The incumbent Unity Labour Party’s candidate for North Windward, Grace Walters, is urging constituents to look to the future that her party is offering, if returned to office for a sixth consecutive five-year term.
She told the ULP’s “Labour Strong” rally in Kingstown on Tuesday, during which Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves announced Nov. 27 as the date for the general election, that she is not focusing on negativity.
“We are keeping focus. We are keeping focus on owning our future,” said Walters, a first-time candidate.
“Comrades, watch with me the horizon, see our future, our airports with flights galore; our ports with ships aplenty; our hospital with services unmatched.”
She urged ULP supporters to own their future and not to gamble with their family.
“Choose a team that delivers, a team that cares about your progress, the team whose work, you know, chose leadership that will never sell out, leadership that protects,” Walters said.
“On election day. This is the team of choice, the team that builds and rebuilds, the team that loves all.”
She said North Windward will give the New Democratic Party, the “same no that they gave to us when De Comrade (PM Gonsalves) went to ask them to vote for us to get some more money to fix the houses.”
She said the results in countries that “gave someone else a chance” are not pretty.
“We are in a time of global turmoil; news of missing vessels in the south. These are times when things are brewing afoot. It is not the time to give anyone a try.”
Walters said that SVG needs “leadership that knows the business of governance, leadership that knows how to deal with disasters of any type”.
“Now is not the time to give anyone a try or a chance, whoever them ah ask for, especially not anyone who says that they don’t know what they could have done when answering about the response of the volcanic eruption,” Walters said, partly in the Vincentian vernacular.
She said that in Gonsalves, SVG has a leader that is “guided by God to keep us safe.
“You heard me say this before. You’ve heard all the comrades said this before, and I want to repeat it: Comrade Ralph keeps us safe with God’s guidance. He cannot be intimidated by anyone, and he makes decisions based on the needs of this country, decisions such as the construction of a modern hospital.”
Walters said that the government knew that some houses that were damaged by natural hazards over the last few years would not have been completed before the election.
“But as soon as we are sworn back into office, the work will continue,” Walters said.
“North Windward, the Unity Labour Party has always kept its promise to you, even when they mocked us and said it could never happen.
“And you know what I’m going to talk about? Yeah, man, the bridge,” she said, referring to the Rabacca Bridge, which opened in March 2007.
“The Unity Labour Party has delivered to North Windward safer roads, all the way up to Fancy, river and sea defence to protect our communities, the same communities that they wanted De Comrade to abandon after the volcanic eruption,” she said.
She said the ULP government has revived the arrowroot industry and reconstructed the factory at Orange Hill, which will be opened soon.
“Through its policies, the Unity Labour Party has established a number of villages. … When I hear somebody say, we were neglected, I wonder where they live, because, comrades, I have a list of 40 projects, all based on people, that the Unity Labour Party has executed in North Windward.
“And with your help, comrades, we will continue to deliver. Your votes on Election Day will ensure that this party continues to deliver. Your ‘x’ will ensure that I deliver for and to North Windward.”
Walters said she will deliver youth mentorship programmes so that they can explore their talents in culture and sports.
“I will create jobs through tourism and training, continue to facilitate the improvement of housing and the living standards throughout the constituency. I will establish an indigenous heritage centre that will preserve our culture and identity, and I will continue to expand on the health care in our constituency, ensuring access and more effective service,” Walters said.
“I will ensure that all our students benefit from everything that is offered under the education revolution.”
Walters is in a race with the NDP’s Shevern John, a former educator who was a senator in the last Parliament.
John is making her second bid to win the seat, having come 62 votes shy of unseating Montgomery Daniel, who was elected to a fifth five-year term in November 2020.