There is only one choice on December 13

26.NOV.10

Editor: Let us look at some of the accomplishments of Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves.{{more}}

Ralph Gonsalves made his mark on the international stage, when in 2001, just months after becoming Prime Minister, he led a delegation of Caribbean leaders on a visit to Libya. That visit, set the stage for a visit to Libya by US President George W. Bush, just months later.

It paved the way for the normalising of relations with Libya and the United States, as well as the rest of the world.

Here are some of the accomplishments of Gonsalves, which placed SVG on the world map: Of 192 Member States of the United Nations (UN), out of four Co-Chairs of the two UN International Conferences to address the Global Financial Crisis, two came from SVG – Prime Minister Gonsalves and our UN Ambassador, H E Camillo Gonsalves.

Ralph Gonsalves is possibly the only leader in the world who has shown the capacity to bring together, for the common cause of helping SVG to construct an International Airport, a coalition of governments from across the world, of varying and opposing ideologies and political philosophies – left, right and center.

It was at the call of Ralph Gonsalves during an address to the UN General Assembly that the UN dedicated the International Day for the Commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade;

Just recently, at the last UN General Assembly, Ralph Gonsalves was again called upon to Co-Chair, with Kevin Rudd, the former Australian Prime Minister and now that country’s Finance Minister, an important UN Meeting;

Ralph Gonsalves’ outstanding leadership ability is sought by his fellow Caribbean leaders, on a regular basis, on numerous important region issues;

Because of Ralph Gonsalves’ leadership and creative initiatives, LIAT is still flying the Caribbean skies today; and the failed Stanford Antigua Bank is in the hands of three regional governments.

Every single country with which SVG has diplomatic relations, the United States of America has even closer relations and does billions in trade and investment annually with those very countries. The December 13 General Elections are not about voting for Eustace and the NDP or Gonsalves and the ULP. Oh no!!! This election is much more important than that.

This election is about voting for the team that has demonstrated it has the vision, the plan and the programmes to continue the progress and development the country has enjoyed over the last 10 years.

Bear in mind that since Gonsalves and the ULP came to office, we have seen international economic crisis after crisis. Yet our country has held its own. This election is about sticking with and expanding the Education Revolution; the housing programme for middle, lower and no income Vincentians; the 100% home mortgages for public servants; tourism development, including the Buccament Resort and the Mount Wynne development, soon to come on stream; Home Help Programme for the Elderly; improved and expanded health care services in rural areas; the construction of health facilities in Mesopotamia, Stubbs and Buccament; the construction of the state-of-the-art Diagnostic Centre in Georgetown, with dialysis treatment facilities; learning resource centres in every constituency across this country; early education/daycare facilities in several areas across SVG; the YES programme; and the construction of the Cross Country road.

This December 13 General Election is not about timid, tired leaderless leadership – a throw back to the 18th century. This election is not about installing dinosaur leadership to turn back and roll back the gains SVG has made over the past 10 years. This election must produce a leader and government that will continue to develop tourism sites. Not construct Jurassic Park. This election is about the type of bold leadership that swung into action (even while Tomas was battering our country), mobilised the relevant agencies into action to effect the swift and orderly recovery and reconstruction efforts now in progress and never seen in this part of the world before.

For the Vincentian electorate, the choice is clear. On December 13, there is only one choice: The ULP under the leadership of Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves.

Wade Kojo Williams