Cummings – NDP man in the West

With a big yellow cardboard key in hand, the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for West Kingstown Daniel Cummings led his following to the Chamber of Commerce Car Park, where he was launched as that political party’s candidate for the West Kingstown constituency.

At the event on Saturday, July 23, Cummings outlined his vision for the future and stressed that this country needed men of honour. He criticised the government for going down like a ship without a rudder and said Vincentians must be able to express themselves freely. {{more}}

The former manager of Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA) said that he was able to lead his staff into becoming a team that was driven, and noted that he has intentions to help his constituents in a similar way. “My message is that you have the potential within you, only you can help yourself and make a difference. You got to believe and work hard.”

He combed through the various areas in West Kingstown and described them as neglected. He questioned whether there were any engineers in the Ministry of Works, which he said has been building a massive wall at Lowman’s Hill where an excavator was being used at $400. per hour for over one month. Cummings said that the ULP allowed the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital to flood, and continue to complain that it was built by the NDP. He accused Dr. Douglas Slater, of not doing anything to correct the situation in the four and a half years that the ruling party was in office.

He urged the gathering to view infrastructure such as road and water not as gifts, but as basic rights. He proposed the construction of alternative routes in areas such as Edinboro, with a bypass road to Montrose so that there would be options and accessibility, instead of a one way in and out situation.

Cummings also outlined his vision for Rose Place which he explained could be developed into a picnic area with greenery, a play ground and restaurant among other things.

He admitted that when he pelted stones at the building that was used as a church near to his house he was described as a heathen by the ruling government, but no one knows what was in his heart. “It is now a road march and Dr. Gonsalves wants to question my spirituality. But God is the only person who could question this and I don’t need a lawyer. When the time comes, we go one by one before the creator and God is one of mercy who knows my heart.”

He added, “No matter who you are one must obey the laws of the

land and respect other peoples’ rights. You

cannot be professing Christianity and not obey the laws of the land. The Planing Board, the Community Development and the police all asked them to move, but they said God put them there and they were not moving.

He explained that the congregation now has a new place of worship, “The pastor for the church now has a new properly built building in Sharpe’s. My window panes do not shake anymore. And my neighbours and I now sleep as we wish without the noise.”

The NDP West Kingstown candidate’s campaign slogan is, “Ready and fit, Cummings is it.” He was also heavily endorsed by NDP representative for East St. George Dr. Linton Lewis, former West Kingstown representative John Horne and Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace.