Former Attorney General Grenville Williams, who failed in his bid to win the South Leeward seat in the Nov. 27 general election, has endorsed the governing New Democratic Party’s (NDP) constituency development fund, which his party has strongly opposed.
In a Facebook post on Monday, four days after the ULP was booted out of office, Williams also recommended that the new Prime Minister, Godwin Friday, pass a law in Parliament within 90 days to establish an integrity commission.
He said the law should require “all politicians to declare their assets to the Integrity Commission and to the public”, suggesting the Jamaican model as an example.
“Secondly, pass legislation setting up the Constituency Development Fund, which provides resources to members of Parliament to support projects in their constituency aimed at local development in consultation with the constituents,” Williams said and cited St. Lucia as an example.
He said he would develop these points in detail in the future.
Williams’ suggestion came as a surprise to many since the ULP had failed to pass integrity legislation during its 25 years in office although it had promised to do so while in opposition.
Additionally, Williams served as attorney general from October 2022 to November 2025, when he stepped down to contest the general election.
As a public servant attorney-general, he did not speak in Parliament, in keeping with the ULP’s policy.
However, the NDP proposal of a constituency development fund has been raised in Parliament repeatedly for a decade and a half.
The ULP has remained firmly opposed to the proposal, with then-prime minister Ralph Gonsalves saying in 2012 that the central government and its agencies are effective enough, negating the need for such a fund.
“I have explained over and over again, as we have seen in countries like Jamaica, where you have a constituency fund, … it adds to a great deal of duplication and you can have a problem with accountability,” Gonsalves told a press conference in February 2012.
However, in the February 2021 budget Debate, Leacock accused the government of implementing the fund despite their expressed opposition.
“When I looked at page 501 in the Budget and I saw and heard the honourable minister speaking about local government, I put my head over my mouth and then moved it over my head and bawled.
“Because I want to know if this is the same government that says not over their dead body they would ever subscribe to the notion of a constituency development [fund]. But here it is,” Leacock said.
Leacock was appointed deputy prime minister and minister of National Security and Immigration in the NDP government that was sworn in to office on Tuesday.
He has repeatedly said that he will not be part of an NDP government that does not establish a constituency development fund.
Williams did not include either integrity legislation or a constituency development fund as part of his platform as he bid to unseat the NDP’s Nigel Stephenson in South Leeward in the Nov. 27 general election.
Stephenson retained the seat for a fourth consecutive term, amassing 3,237 votes, the highest ever by any candidate and 279 more than in 2020.
The 2025 tally was 1,266 votes more than Williams secured and more than double the 505 by which Stephenson won in 2020 against the ULP’s Minerva Glasgow.
Doris Charles, of the National Liberation Movement, got 28 votes, losing her deposit.
Meanwhile, in a separate post on Monday, Williams congratulated Stephenson on his victory.
“The NDP is now the governing administration of SVG. As a Vincentian and a person who puts country before party, I wish you and the team every success,” Williams said.
“Yes. I am disappointed that I was not afforded the opportunity to apply my work ethic, skills, competencies and drive to work with the people of South Leeward to tangibly improve their lives and the constituency.
“However, life unfolds according to the will of God and the people. I have put forward a six point plan for the development of South Leeward during my campaign, I am willing to share the details with you in the interest of my people.”
All around you hear the losing party, ULP, giving suggestions about governance. Those people are no more in power, yet they want to drive from the passenger seat. Why don’t you all just take a big rest? You have lost. Keep all the ideas to yourself; let NDP rule in peace.
I believe candidate Williams is doing the right thing by advising the NDP to establish the constituency development fund. It will show the NDP will establish some transparency when candidates are involved with funds and funding issues.
I’d like to see each constituency candidate; including the opposition has the ability to communicate with their constituencies. I will prefer that town and village council idea because it gets the people involved in issues that affect their area. The issues can be the same thing in each area and that is great because the solution can be pooled together and fixed.
Leacock was against town and village council and I don’t see him looking in that direction. So I will ask for office space for each candidate in their constituency. Folks don’t have to go to the candidate to report an issue. They can go to the office staff and report issues and ask for help if they are having problems. The candidates can read these reports from the constituency office and answer or handle the issues on the list.
The issues can and may be common among the people, so it easier to tackle it that to work on single problem for some favourite person.
Grenville, SAVE IT! You had a chance to have these same laws come to fruition! You were the government’s TOP LEGAL ADVISOR and you had about 3 years to make it happen. All your recent posts since your obvious defeat only strengthens the narrative that no member of the ULP had any say in the party other than Ralph. You only confirmed what we knew was true. Now, please move on with your life because all this posting isn’t a good look!