SVG development under the current government

Tue, Jul 13, 2010

Editor: It has been 14 years since I left St Vincent and the Grenadines to seek a better life abroad. When I left St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir James F. Mitchell and his government were still in power. For 17 years, the NDP government had done a lot, but in my opinion this present government has done far more.{{more}} I am not party affiliated, but I think that some important factors must be highlighted.

Let me compare both governments for a moment. During the NDP rule, there were some major projects pursued. The most impressive were the Ottley Hall project, the financial complex, Bequia and Union Island airports, the piece of Road at Win blow – close to Fancy village and the cruise ship berth in Kingstown.

Impressive developments

Over the years, I have taken the opportunity to return home. Each time I visited, I made it my business to observe the progress of development. Nowadays, I have seen development that is important to our nation that I never thought would exist under the previous government. The impressive developments to date include the Argyle International airport, which would replace the nation’s historic E.T Joshua airport. The E.T. Joshua airport was resurfaced once and approximately thirty feet added on the south end of the terminal by the previous government. Institutions and educational facilities, which include Bequia Anglican School, the national library, research centres. The health facilities have also improved tremendously with a well thought out expansion of the Georgetown hospital and the state-of-the-art nursing school. Our tourism sector has escalated to a level I had never imagined. Nowadays, we can boast one of the biggest hotels in the Caribbean and the single biggest provider of employment in our nation. In addition, our lawmen have better working environments with new police stations in Georgetown, Biabou and Questelles.

Not quick to judge

However, there are some claims about the current administration, which are not so welcomed. I must admit that I am not in a position to confirm those claims surrounding the Prime Minister. As a country man living miles and miles away and only visiting so often, I am careful in writing about the Prime Minister without investigating him myself. To date, the information I have gathered especially about the Prime Minister being a Socialist is not confirmed. The big question I often ask myself is: “Why is the Prime Minister associating himself with world leaders who are branded as Socialists?”

Supporting good work

Surrounding this “Socialist” behaviour by our Prime Minister – my information came from local radio stations which are associated with the NDP and from people who are anti-Ralph and Anti-Socialist. I have never got the full extent of what is happening from the ULP perspective or from a person who supports the ULP and its government; therefore, it is not right that judgment be made from hearing one side of the story-hence, my quest to investigate the phenomenon.

I am an anti-Socialist, but where there is good, I will always support. This government had brought St Vincent and the Grenadines a far way and I think that all our citizens would appreciate this. For me, I am not into political parties – I am a Vincentian first – and I will always support the good and constructively criticize the bad.

Taller buildings needed

To move on further, some other developments I would like to see in St Vincent and the Grenadines are cable cars, which can be used as tourist attractions and to transport our local citizens from one side of the mountain to another. Also, a four lane highway, which would accommodate the increased importation of motor vehicles, is needed. Lastly, I would like taller buildings to be constructed in Kingstown city, as our city is becoming smaller, because of the increased construction of commercial buildings. Instead of building flat and long, we should construct narrow and high. Furthermore, the highway need some development with a few shopping plazas along the way. In this effort, Georgetown needs to be developed as the second town to service people there, the northern Leeward side of the country and the people living “above the river.”

One thing though, we should never try to do this on our own, rather we should encourage more foreign investors into our economy.

D. Markie Spring
Turks and Caicos Islands