The New Democratic Party (NDP) is aiming to repeat its 1989 historic victory, sweeping all 15 seats in the upcoming general elections.
The party’s North Leeward candidate Dr Kishore Shallow, who has been leading the party’s call not only for change in government but a clean sweep of all seats, has urged Vincentians to observe how the Dr Ralph Gonsalves-led Unity Labour Party government have been putting themselves first, instead of a people-first approach.
At a political meeting at Park Hill, North Central Windward, last Friday night, Shallow said the ULP is constructing a three-story building at its headquarters in Kingstown at a time when the country is in “a dire situation” – a country where people are suffering and people can’t even know how they’re going to afford groceries at the end of the month.
“They can’t even pay their utility bills. People are struggling for opportunities, but the ULP is building a three-story headquarters in Kingstown.
“So, two different realities. One clearly is a side with all kinds of opportunities and privileges, while the significant majority of us continue to struggle. That is our reality.
“And so, what you need to reason with yourself and understand, comprehend, is that you have a government that is clearly putting themselves first. You have a government that is catering to their needs first, as opposed to the opposite. As opposed to how it should really be, which is catering for you, the people, first,’ Shallow said.
Shallow said that one example of the current government not catering to the needs of the people first is th matter of relief donated as a result of the widespread devastation by category four hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024. He said millions of dollars in supplies and monies were donated, apart from what were approved in parliament, but some items were held back and stashed away somewhere.
“And because now, elections a few weeks away, you have appliances being bought – stove, fridge, all kinds of things.
“So what happen, we didn’t deserve to get these things since last year, immediately after Beryl? Now, if it is a government that is catering to you, the people, I tell you what, they would have given you these things since last year and ensure every single one of you affected are comfortable. And that is because, as I said, we do not currently have a government that puts Vincentians first. Now, that is clearly a fundamental difference between the two parties.
“We see examples after examples, day in day out, a government that is simply concerned about maintaining power over you. A government that no longer even concerned about your suffering and your pains,” he said.
Shallow said that the current government built the Argyle International Airport and it appeared that they want the electorate to continue voting on that basis every election.
“We going to go back over and over and over and vote for the same airport?” Shallow asked. “We put you there and you were supposed to build the airport.”
“Don’t come and tell us 15 years later, 10 plus years later that we should vote for you because of an airport. No, we are going to vote for you when we go to the polls, we are going to judge you on the last 5 years especially.
“And in the last 5 years you have to come to us and tell us what you have done. And I have done my research and my observation and I see not one thing that deserves for them to be re-elected.”
Shallow said there comes a time when a leader, especially, is going to peak and max out at some point. He said what he has observed is obviously because this government has been in power for 25 years with the same leadership, and, just like everything else, they are tired.
“. We won’t hold it against them. All we simply say is that we acknowledge this, we appreciate the efforts in the past and now it is time for us to move on.
“That is a simple equation. Now the good thing is, and this is the great news, because we have reached to the point where we realize that the government that exists cannot take us any further, we realize that the ULP simply cannot take us any further, because every single idea and thought they had to advance in St Vincent and the Grenadines they have been exhausted – meaning that they have no more ideas to take us any further. And that is why we continue to be behind our neighboring countries.
“And sometimes I say we are 30 years behind and I stand by it. Because when you travel as close as St. Lucia is, Grenada and the others, they are far ahead of us. And we are saying that it is time for us to change that.
“And because Dr. Friday has put together a team, a competent team, a team with fresh ideas, a team that is energized, we are ready to advance St Vincent and the Grenadines and make it as competitive as any place here in the Caribbean,” Shallow said.
Shallow said he maintains that “this election here, it ain’t no close election.”
“We ain’t want no 8-7. We ain’t want no 9-6. We ain’t want no 11-4. We want 15 love,” a confident Shallow shouted.
“How much you want? We want give them 15-love because brother Chieftan Neptune (NDP candidate for the constituency) has to come home as well. And so I am saying to the people of Park Hill, the people of North Central Leeward, that come election night, during the day we go out and we vote overwhelmingly for Chieftan.”
The 2020 elections saw ULP winning nine seats to the NDP’s six. NDP, however, won the majority of popular votes by over 400.
