by Viclene Matthews 12.DEC.08

At a recent rally held to mark Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves’ 40th anniversary as a political activist, Roosevelt Skerrit, Dominica’s Prime Minister, hailed him the “Prime Minister of the Caribbean”.{{more}}

Skerrit, while addressing the gathering at Black Point last Saturday, stated that this country and the region on a whole are much better with Ralph Gonsalves as Prime Minister of our multi island state. “The world and the Caribbean are much better with Ralph Gonsalves as Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. We need Ralph here in the Caribbean region for the next 20 years, non-stop,” he declared.

In order to achieve this goal, Skerrit urged the many Unity Labour Party (ULP) supporters present to do everything possible to guarantee this achievement. “We must do everything legally to ensure that Ralph remains the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines to continue the good work for us here and in the Caribbean region,” he said.

Skerrit described Prime Minister Gonsalves as the “voice of reason for Caricom and the OECS” and mentioned that at no time in his political history has he fought for himself, but instead ensured that those who were denied justice had somebody to stand up for them.

“He cares about the ordinary man and woman in the street, and it is visible in every single policy he takes in his government in St Vincent and the Grenadines and the region,” said Skerrit.

Pointing out that his presence at the rally was to celebrate the “40 years of a giant in the Caribbean region” and not “meddle” in domestic politics, he related that Vincentians sometimes get a “little impatient.” Skerrit stressed that they ought to understand that Gonsalves became Prime Minister at “a most difficult time, but because of his commitment, vision and persistence, he has been able to ride the stormy weather.”

Skerrit urged the supporters to continue to defend the rights of this country’s leader and expressed that he has brought clarity to St Vincent and the Grenadines’ position “on every single regional and international matter”.