Gonsalves says he gave $15,500 of his money to Vincy students in Jamaica

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has announced that he sent EC$15,500 of his personal money to Vincentian students in Jamaica after the impact of Hurricane Melissa, even as he said he does not like to publicise his charitable acts.

He made the announcement at the Unity Labour Party’s “North Star” Rally in Chateaubelair on Saturday, as he accused Opposition Leader Godwin Friday of being “cheap like a church mouse”.

“Let me tell you this. I don’t like to boast about things, but for young people, I will mention this,” he said, adding that Jamaica is in “turmoil” following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in late October.

“We have 200 and something students there. And I asked the leadership of the student body, the Vincentian Student Association (VINSA) … to tell me if any of the students need any special help, and what they need right away,” Gonsalves told party supporters.

“… They send for me on Thursday — I saw it Thursday evening …. They sent a letter to me saying that 31 persons, 31 students, need some help. And the student organisation say they need the help right away, if they go get EC$500 for each of those 31. So that could tide them over for a couple of weeks with food until we can replenish more.”

The prime minister said the government would have taken a few days to send the money to Jamaica, “because you have to sign this piece of paper, you have signed that piece of paper.

“Friday morning, I call my banker and tell him to send the $15,500, which is 31 by 500 to the account of the Vincentian Students Association,” Gonsalves said. 

“Ask Friday about his money way he promised students,” the prime minister said, referring to the EC$100,000 that the New Democratic Party said it would raise for students from the Southern Grenadines, who were impacted by Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024.

The opposition leader said that people had made pledges to the effort but some of them did not follow through.

He said he had matched the amount raised and it was distributed equally among the students, but did not disclose the amount of money given. 

“Let me tell you something. Friday cheap like a church mouse; that’s a cheap man,” Gonsalves said.

“If you meet Friday and you ask Friday for peice of change, you think he go got $50 in he pocket? $5. He gi you a $5 and he go gi two or three people $5.”

The prime minister said the opposition leaders “has a spirit, which mean.

“In addition to him being lazy, weak, indecisive and a fake. He’s also mean.”