Outgoing president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU, Oswald Robinson on Tuesday said he had taken steps to have police investigate a Facebook post inciting violence against him.
The post came less than 24 hours after Robinson said on the union’s show on BOOM FM on Sunday that the union would mobilise teachers as education ministers and senior officials continued to refuse to address issues affecting teachers.
A post in the name of “Doug King Howard” said that for “24 years 7 months and 30 days” — a reference to the Unity Labour Party’s tenure in office — the Teachers’ Union “never once treated (sic) to protest against Ralph and his wicked government”.
The poster said that on the contrary, in “less than 120 days you coming out against the NDP government” and accused Robinson of being “BAD MINDED AND HYPOCRITICAL”.
The post further accused Robinson of “not even giving the government a chance to get their act together to deal with you (sic) failure”.
Howard said he always says “to the NDP they are too weak minded to deal with ppl like you,
“Yes! i said it when you come out on the streets with your protest to shut down the government and country you should be met with some real bullets and gun You down like the DAG you IS…”
Robinson responded to the post in a call to Hot FM on Tuesday morning, saying he had “consulted a police officer who advised that this matter is very serious and I need to seek further consultation with the police.
“And I’m preparing to do that today, because you can’t have people inciting violence and disturbing the peace of the land,” said Robinson, whose term as president of the Teachers’ Union ends this month, after which he becomes the first vice-president for the next two years.
The trade union leader said he realises the police have “a very busy schedule”, because of the violent crimes.
He alluded to the chopping death of popular public character, “Munt-I”, which occurred in Barrouallie on Monday, adding that it seemed that “it’s becoming a norm that people just go and take people’s lives….
“So first of all, I place this matter in the hands of the Almighty. He is my guide, He is my protector. He’s my deliverer. I am a person who want to be law-abiding, and I will continue in that vein,” Robinson said.
Robinson said he did not know Howard personally, in terms of having met him, and they have never had a face-to-face conversation.
He, however, said he normally listens to Howard on radio and that he “seemed to make some very good points” in his contributions to discussions on radio.
“So I was a little shocked … making threats about bullets and guns if I go out on the street to protest,” the retired educator said, adding that “this is something that must not be taken lightly”.
Robinson noted that he does not get involved in violent activities.
“In fact, I have condemned all forms of violence. Our Constitution speaks to the issue of the fundamental right to life.
“And when somebody is threatening your life, and it’s not only me, because they may go out and look for me, and God forbid, they may inflict it on somebody else,” Robinson said.
I don’t condone violence as a way to resolve verbal disputes, but Robinson is acting as if he’s the be-all and end-all of Vincentian politics. When the election-rigging Unity Labour Party (ULP) was in power for 24 years, meddling with the courts and making self-serving decisions like letting the ADD off for shooting a man on his own property, Robinson was nowhere to be seen or heard. Now, with this three-month-old government, he wants to cry wolf because people are frustrated with his push for everything at once.
Who start um an who end um? my advice u should go listen to yo self again again