Former Labour MP endorses the New Democratic Party

Former politician Stanley ‘Stalky’ John says that despite finding peace outside politics and becoming preoccupied with his family and law practice, he has found it fit to endorse the New Democratic Party (NDP).

John appeared at a candlelight march and rally held at Sion Hill by the NDP {{more}}on Wednesday night and threw his support behind the opposition NDP, for which his brother Linton Lewis will contest the East St George seat.

He said that, in his opinion, this election is not about the NDP or the Unity Labour Party (ULP), but about the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines and in his opinion, traditional Labour Party supporters have abandoned the party, while the ULP is trying to blind persons to the true issues in the country.

The former politician said that a friend encouraged him to support his brother, but he was sceptical, as he thought the person just wanted to say “Arwe catch a big Labour fish”. He said that the friend said that was not the case, but stressed that the country needed someone like him to, “stand up and be counted”.

John is a former member of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party (SVGLP) and early member of the ULP, which was formed in 1994 from a merger of the SVGLP and the Movement for National Unity (MNU) of Ralph Gonsalves.

In the General Elections of 1998, John won the East St George seat on a ULP ticket.

In his endorsement of the NDP on Wednesday, John said that the party possesses a distinguished leader in Arnhim Eustace, who is highly respected and recognized even by ULP supporters here “and by all and sundry over the world.”

He said that he spoke with two different Prime Ministers in CARICOM over the last two days and although he did not give the names of the leaders, he said that both men are hoping that the NDP will win the General Elections which will take place on Wednesday, December 9.

“….as I stand here, if I am lying, God Almighty up there know what to do with me,” said John who received loud cheers from the crowd gathered at Sion Hill.

He said that a number of Vincentians and regional leaders are ashamed of the things that are coming out of the current leadership of the country.

“Let me say this. I am not here tonight with the intention of pulling down anybody; I do not have the intention of trying to humiliate anybody. As I said earlier, I am not here with the intention of redeeming the New Democratic Party. I am here with the intention of speaking honestly of what I see, feel and know and what Vincentians and other people have represented to me about the state of affairs in our country today,” said John.

He said that many people wish and hope that after the elections, a change will come, but they are sceptical, because it is often said that a politician must be charismatic and be able to mix with people.

“But Papa Doc was charismatic and after he brought his son Baby Doc…and look at the condition of the people in Haiti. And you remember what happened to Baby Doc? He had to run and we will not allow St Vincent and the Grenadines to descend into the same state of socio-economic condition as Haiti descended into under Papa Doc and Baby Doc,” shouted John.

Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed “Baby Doc,” was the president of Haiti from 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986. He succeeded his father, François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, as the ruler of Haiti after the latter’s death in 1971.

John said that while he is certain that persons would be watching him and saying that the last time he took part in elections he could not “save his deposit and the people reject him at the polls,” his message is a positive one and persons must take heed.

John last faced the polls in 2001, when he contested the East St George seat on the ticket of the Peoples Progressive Movement, led by Ken Boyea.

John stressed that persons are better off voting for the NDP, as leaving something in the possession of someone for too long creates a problem, as they may begin to feel that the item in their possession belongs to them.

“…so, what you have to do? You have to take it back. So, what are we going to do? We going to take back our country,” stressed John.

Persons attending Wednesday’s candlelight march and rally marched from the NDP headquarters and Adams Brothers Ltd, converging at Sion Hill. Other speakers included NDP leader Arnhim Eustace, his daughter Maia Eustace and some of the candidates in next Wednesday’s general elections.