EDITOR: During the last election season the ULP presented themselves as being the party with the best leadership and endeavoured to impress the people that their leader Dr Ralph Gonsalves was head and shoulders above all there in that regard. They proffered that the country stood the best chance prospering under his leadership. So when there are so many indicators of retrogression evident in our society today, there is the need for a critical examination of the way we conducted our business over the last several decades since we became an independent nation, with particular emphasis on the last two decades.

For several months now we in St. Vincent and the Grenadines like the rest of the world have had our lives severely affected by the Covid virus. And our leadership seems to be blaming all the agonies we are suffering today on the Covid. We have now reached the stage where the emphasis is on getting the population vaccinated and to this end some categories of faithful and dedicated workers are being threatened with loss of employment if they are not vaccinated by a certain time.

It is important to note that when it was reported that the Covid had reached our shores our Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves was very dismissive with respect to the adherence to the recommended protocol. The comments he made on the issue are well documented. They implied that persons who expresses concern about the virus spreading were over-reacting. In the electioneering season the party-gatherings did not reflect that the administration was particularly concerned about the threat from Covid.

Today a different song is being sung!

Dr Ralph Gonsalves is now attaching great value to the success of having St.Vincent represented on the Security Council and the leader of the Opposition Dr Friday has also lauded it as noteworthy. I am however of the view that Dr Gonsalves presence on the Security of the United Nations will do very little to the advancement of our national cause and our capacity to meaningfully address the cause of the disadvantaged people of the world is really doubtful. Importantly there are so many cases here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where there has been the perception. Dr Gonsalves has not been exhibiting the maturity to ensure that all citizens are treated justly and fairly. The names of some of the persons relevant to the issues of injustice in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are: Marcus DeFreitas, Leon Bigger Samuel, Yougie Farrel and Dr Murray’s family.

The question is still relevant could that money have been better spent in the interest of the people?

Good leadership would have ensured that!

Leroy Providence