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Camillo Gonsalves
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Outgoing Ambassador to the United Nations, Camillo Gonsalves, says he does not have “any definite plan at this time” to enter politics ahead of the next general elections, constitutionally due in 2015

“We should be focusing on governance and development today, not distant electoral events,” the diplomat told I-Witness News.

His comments come even as rumours continue that he would be sworn in as a government senator soon — with some reports saying it saying it could happen as soon as this week.

A source has told I-Witness News that the Unity Labour Party administration will make key changes soon that could include the diplomat, who was recently recalled after a five-year tour of duty.

The source told I-Witness News that Elvis Charles has confirmed that he will be removed from his senatorial position and will become chief executive officer of the Housing and Land Development Corporation.

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The changes, sources say, will also include Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sen. Douglas Slater.

Well-placed sources say that a public announcement could be made soon regarding Slater becoming second in command of a regional organisation.

But Ambassador Gonsalves, son of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, has been the focus of many people’s attention, especially after his distinguished performance at the United Nations.

Some observers say that the younger Gonsalves could emerge leader of the Unity Labour Party when his father decides to step down.

Party insiders have whispered their support for the young Gonsalves, who they say will trump all other obvious contenders, including Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar, who like the diplomat, is also a lawyer.

Some ULP insiders have said that Ambassador Gonsalves, who is also trained in journalism and international affairs, will emerge winner of a leadership race, based on merit and even more so if nepotism is involved.

But all of these reports are merely speculation, if the ambassador’s own words are to be believed.

“The ‘dance card’ of candidates and seats for my political party is already filled with either excellent prospects or hardworking incumbents,” he told I-Witness News.

“I have said countless times in the past that people entering politics should ‘be on the ground’ before seriously contemplating such a move. ‘Being on the ground’ does not mean stepping off the plane one day, and declaring a candidacy the next,” said the ambassador, who returned to St. Vincent just over a week ago,” the ambassador said in emailed response to questions from I-Witness News.

“More broadly, I hope that I can make whatever small contribution to shifting the balance of our national discourse from this 24/7 discussion of electoral politics that is devoid of any substantive analysis of policy, programme and developmental philosophy.

“I am not particularly interested in our current cycle of daily sensationalism and scandalmongering, followed by the inevitable responses and countercharges. When we succumb to the daily he say/she say of electoral politics, we lose sight of the forest for the trees.

“Elections are important. Politics is important. But so are our plans for development, for surviving the economic crisis, for charting a course for the future, for putting more people to work. For providing more opportunities to young people. I’m much more likely to be animated by those conversations than an endless campaign and daily drumbeat of “who is running where, and when,” the diplomat told I-Witness News.

Regarding his plan for the next year, Gonsalves said he is on vacation and finishing his house, and making practical plans for his family and himself.

“Broadly, I hope to be able to continue contributing to national development and working in the public interest. But specifically, I couldn’t tell you the precise contours of how that contribution will take place.

“There are many, many, ways to contribute in the public interest. I have a background and professional experience that includes journalism, law, and international relations. Any of those fields — or a combination of all of them — are rich with opportunities for service and national development. I expect my plans to solidify and take shape in the coming weeks and months, but I don’t have anything to report at this time,” the younger Gonsalves told I-Witness News.

In this video, from 2012, Ambassador Gonsalves talks about his experience at the UNited Nations and politics in SVG. 

14 replies on “Camillo Gonsalves again says he has no ‘definite plan at this time’ to enter politics before 2015”

  1. Watching Hard says:

    If Camillo does decide to join the Government then I’m sure that Vincentians will be the better for it. St. vincent need all the talent that it can hang on too. However, I just sense that the haters are ready to hound this talented young Vincentian out of the country.

    1. What about the other young talented vincentian that have been hanged out dry by the ULP, don’t forget them as well.

  2. canute campbell says:

    Congratulations to Camilo Gunsalves on a job well done in NY as Ambassador. Welcome back home and I hope you enjoy your vacation. I agree with you, no need to rush into the political arena just yet. Enjoy your vacation………….One favor, please attend the Rastafarian function at Mona on the 13th…. You need to make your present felt.

  3. To prove himself it would be great if he can rein his father in. Stop all the nasty names, inuendos and dirty gestures.

    Stop all the silly quotations, “I sometimes tell lies” “if I work Obeah I only work Obeah for the Lord” “show me a liar and I will show you a theif” ” I and all those that signed the teachers contract knew it was unconstituional and unenforcable” ” I am here to finish the work of Maurice Bishop” and all those many many statements that are more the mutterings of an idiot than a prime minister.

    God help us if he turns out to be much like his father.

  4. Great interview this Kenton, both from the standpoint of the questions and well when you got an interviewee who knows what he is about things flow. Very informative.

    DR

  5. Teacherfang (@Llijame) says:

    I HEARD FROM MERETRICIOUS SOURCES THAT CAMILO WANTS TO SERIOUSLY SHAKE UP THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF VINCYLAND AND IS ACTUALLY SEEKING TO TAKE OVER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NDP!

    SPURIOUS SOURCES INSIDE THE NDP CAMP, HAVE INDICATED TO ME, THAT SEVERAL HIGH LEVEL SECRET MEETINGS BETWEEN CAMILO AND EUSETACE HAD TAKEN PLACE AT LITTLE TOKYO. THESE SOURCES STATED, THINGS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR A BLOCKBUSTER ANNOUNCEMENT TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 24 2013.

  6. I see this article has attracted some of the old Marxists. That is what I do not like, this young American Jamaican man may well be too much like his father be fully accepted. Of course he will be accepted by some of daddies followers, that would sort of follow I guess.

    I am sure he is socially a very nice person he comes across as being so. But his father is like that, or can be.

    ‘Watching Hard’ its not the people that are hated, its how they behave, if they carry spite and malice, behave badly towards sections of the citizenship. Telling lies in a wholesale fashion is also a no no, as far as I am concerned.

    The matter of the New York policeman thing still hangs around his neck. What really got me is both he and his father and a whole lot of blinkered followers actually, believed he was right and the policeman was wrong. Then the whole thing was compounded by further diplomatic naivety by his father talking about suing the police, the police man and all sorts of crap. This just made them all look like idiots and immature diplomatically.

    Unfortunately as far as I am concerned his father has set such a bad opinion in my mind, I would need to see evidence that he is a nicer person than daddy.

    But welcome to Saint Vincent.

  7. Camilo is not a vincy by birth but by parentage.Is it possible for him to be the PM of SVG under our constitution? As far as I know he is an American/Jamaican/Vincentian.Nevertheless,I always enjoy listening to him,it seem to me like he want change the political culture in SVG everytime he speaks.I don’t know if given the chance to lead,he will be void of influence or interference by the Comrade.At the end of the day it’s up to vincentians and the ULP supporters.Good luck king.

  8. Nigel Jacobs, parentage implies the plural, Ralph Gonsalves always fails to tell people that he has been married twice. He says in all his splurge everywhere that he and his wife are practicing Catholics. But always fails to say that this is his second wife and perhaps such a marriage is not recognised by the Catholic church. His first wife is a very nice Jamaican lady with whom Gonsalves is said to have had his first two children.

    Yes his mummy was or is a Jamaican lady, a lecturing doctor at a US university, she has been there a long time, so may well be a US citizen.

    Now we know that Camillo is a Jamaican American, if he is officially a Jamaican American Vincentian I do not know. Is Ralph Gonsalves his blood father, I do not know, never seen Camillo’s birth certificate.

  9. There is no doubt in my mind that Camillo is home to take over from aging Ralph. The problem for both is how other candidates would accept this move. Slater, Luke, Michelle and the minister of agriculture are folks who should put their hats in the ring. No coronation for Camillo, as was the case with Ralph.

  10. By the way, where is the database on this program. I should just have to sign-in instead of repeating the same information to post.
    Now get with the program ( no pun intended).

  11. Ok, so what is Camillo’s nationality? Did he grow up with his father, or with his mother and where? Ralph doesn’t have the ULP by the horns like before, so the chances of him railroading his son into leadership position can be very difficult for other contenders to swallow.
    Ralph actually started to clear the deck for Camillo’s entrance years ago, by dropping Slater and other people with leadership potentials. There are two positions he can offer senator Camillo – foreign affairs or Public Works.
    In Public Works he can use the purse string to [work] his way around in small communities: A road work here and a road work there will do the trick. Plus Camillo can complete the galvanize and lumber racket that was supposed to help folks who lost their homes during hurricane Tomas.
    In Foreign Affairs he can visit other countries, speaking to leaders to demonstrate he has what it takes to speak to other leaders. This could be so easy for him to arrange, because of his UN links. On his return, he would be in the news spouting what he’s accomplished during the foreign visits. Let’s hope he doesn’t go cap in hand like his father. It didn’t do him any good. The airport still needs financing to be completed in 2015 – just in time for the next election. Well that’s the latest date, but I still believe it’s closer to 2020 before the first 737 lands in SVG from England, the US or Canada.
    In 2015 Camillo will replace Ralph or that joker up in Sandy Bay. The minister of Health is also an easy target because he failed miserably in that portfolio. There are other candidates that Ralph may want to drop, but any move in that direction will “smell to the high heavens”.
    Let’s see how close my predictions are, in the next few months.

  12. I keep thinking about what daddy called the Chastenet’s of Saint Lucia, what was it? Remember that?

    What an audacity, he and the family from both marraiges fit his colourful description of the Chastenet’s.

  13. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ULP IS MAKING A COUPLE CHANGES IN THE HOUSE , HOPE THEY NOT GOING TO PUT MR ATM IN THE HOUSE,BECAUSE THAT WILL MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE THEY ARE A COURRUPT BUNCH .

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