Homicides, one of many issues plaguing SVG, says NDP’s Senator John

BAD INFRASTRUCTURE, an increase in street children, and a deterioration in the health sector are some of the issues that are plaguing the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) 23 year run in office, says the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) Senator Shevern John.

“Look around you what do you see?…broken down buildings- because the NDP built them. Around you, you also see the abuse of women and girls, you also see an increase in street children in St Vincent and the Grenadines, this small nation, and you also see a deterioration in our health sector,” John said at the open session of the NDP’s convention on Sunday, October 13, 2024 in Petit Bordel.

She said the hospital sometimes makes you more ill due to issues like mould and lack of proper ventilation.

John, the NDP’s candidate for North Windward, said ULP politicians only come around at election time promising “niceties” and when they leave, “they say take the fool a little further”.

She said projects are only started in constituencies when elections are close, and youths, many of them full of potential, are left to fend for themselves.

She said as well that the ULP manifesto said jobs would be created for the youths but people are seeing and living “every aspect of hardship”.

“I remember last election in the constituency of North Windward, close to election, they had their people going around telling the young people we will create jobs for you, we going to send you to Canada on the farm programme, we going to send you to England, we going to send you here and there, the young people are still jobless,” John charged.

She told the party supporters that she cried when she read about the death of 13 year old Mathew Dasouza, and the two minors, a 15 year old male, and a 11 year old female charged in his death.

“It tells me that the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines has failed in its responsibility to its citizens and more-so, the vulnerable ones…the young children.

“Daily you go around Kingstown and you see children begging, they are homeless, sleeping, they have little or no hope. The government has failed the street children… “They talk about plans and policies, up to today, there is not a single home that they can take these children off the road and ensure that they are well protected,” John added.

She said when governments cannot protect vulnerable citizens, they have failed. John was the NDP’s candidate for North Windward in the November, 2020 General Elections, but lost to the ULP’s Montgomery Daniel. She said at the party’s convention last Sunday that Daniel is absent in the constituency, while she has been working for the last four years to make life better for the constituents.

She said the NDP has a focus on creating jobs and ensuring there are proper wages, as well as national security as the country also is plagued by homicides.