ULP will deliver the international airport

08.MAR.07

Editor: The NDP is making heavy weather of St. Vincent and the Grenadines getting an international airport. At one time they doubted that the ULP will build the airport. They touted in their echo chamber that Dr. Gonsalves and the ULP are lying on the issue. Now that it is obvious that the government is serious and that the airport is coming, they’ve changed their tune and are now saying that we must build it ourselves without the involvement of Cuba and Venezuela.

Editor, the NDP for seventeen years promised this country an international airport because they know very well that the development of our nation can be greatly enhanced with us having good air access. The NDP made plans.{{more}} Former Minister John Horne spoke of the Kitchen and Argyle sites for the venture. Former Prime Minister, Sir James Mitchell said that he already had $100,000,000 in his pocket towards the project. As far as I recall they made plans yet they could not deliver the project. Why? Well, here are the reasons:

1. St. Vincent and the Grenadines on its own cannot build an international airport and the NDP knew that.

2. The NDP could not get support for the project because their government lacked credibility with the number of black lists on us then.

3. The NDP was bankrupt and corrupt to the extent that the British Government refused them debt relief.

4. The way the NDP handled the Ottley Hall project proved that they were incapable of handling another project of a similar magnitude.

So the NDP did not and could not build us an airport. Now today they

are attacking the coalition that Dr. Gonsalves has put together to build the airport. “Yes” to the airport they are now saying, but “no” to support from Chavez and Castro. The truth is, editor, the United States to which the NDP looks for assistance has not helped them nor has that rich neighbour showed any interest in assisting us. The United States only assisted Grenada with their airport after the Cubans had almost completed it. So if their foreign policy revolves around United States aid, it will fail. The United States has no interest in the Caribbean. The way they treated us on bananas is a case in point.

While it is true that millions of dollars come into our economy from the United States of America via remittances we must also agree that it comes from the sweat and hard work of our nationals who live and work there, and whose contributions make that nation great today. The Caribbean is no longer of strategic interest to the USA therefore looking to it for help is futile.

Then there is the backward Ivan O’Neal talking about the airport being a military base. That same propaganda was used against the Grenada airport. This is a modern post colonial era; those who live in the past don’t have a clue as to where they are and where they want to go.

The airport therefore is coming and Dr. Gonsalves must be commended for putting together what he calls “The coalition of the willing”. So let’s find new friends – people who share our aspirations and are willing to assist us and let’s build the airport.

The trouble for the NDP though, is that they know very well that when the ULP builds the airport which all Vincentians both at home and abroad demand, they will never win an election in this country again. So for them its political expediency over the development of our nation. So when you hear them talk as Senator Leacock spoke on BBC Caribbean last week, this is the background from which the NDP speaks. Wanting to get back into office at all cost, so that they can enact million dollar capital cards and such like nonsense. We must therefore not allow them. Let them talk their nonsense and spread their lies but we must band ourselves together and go ahead. That hopeless bunch of desperate people must not be trusted to govern us again. The ULP will deliver with the support of all our people and the blessing of God Almighty.

Selmon Walters