Eustace tells NDP play it cool

Leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP, Arnhim Eustace has urged supporters of his political party to “Play it cool” and refrain from violence.

Speaking at the Richland Park Playing Field on Saturday November 12 at the launch of the NDP’s candidate for Marriaqua, Eustace admitted that he, like others, is often provoked and at times would get emotional. He said despite the temptation to get angry and react, NDP supporters must practise discipline and be gentle.{{more}}

He pleaded, “We can’t jump two weeks before the general elections and change what we have been doing and what we have been standing for, otherwise we lose! There are those who want us to come down to their level. They want us to come down to the gutter with them. But we must not allow ourselves to do that under any circumstances.”

Eustace asserted that the ULP was going down the road to hell while his NDP party was going into government to improve the lives of Vincentians. He confessed that while some supporters of the NDP would make “slip ups” because they were provoked and became emotionally upset, they must however remain focused.

The NDP leader warned that giving back the same provocation to supporters of the Unity Labour Party, ULP, would stir up altercations, which he said would lead to problems and even death. He recalled that in 1994 an NDP female supporter was stoned and killed and the NDP has been taking care of the now motherless child. Eustace revealed that he too had to show restraint after being blocked by a big truck on his way to the Richland Park Playing Field.

The Opposition leader reiterated, “I appeal to all, play it cool; we are not a violent party but are a party of peace which will lead to prosperity. Nobody could get angrier than me but I have learnt over the years to control that anger and urge other members to do the same, and to look to God for guidance to control that anger. Those who say Labour Now!…It’s NDP in the morning!”

However before the appeal from Eustace to “Play it cool” and to refrain from “gutter” and “emotional” behaviour, NDP Central Kingstown candidate, Senator St. Claire Leacock accused Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of being “a piece of dirtiness.”

The fiery Leacock lashed out at the Prime Minister for taking away lands.

He elaborated, “Never have we been in so much mess in the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, never have we had such a nastiness for a Prime Minister in a country. I call him a nastiness. Print it in the press, take my photo because that’s what he is, a piece of nastiness, he’s a dirtiness. I took too much from him.”

Leacock said that the NDP fought to create a landed democracy and took away lands from estate owners to give to the people in Greggs, Lauders and North of the Dry River. But he claimed, Dr. Gonsalves took back some of these lands and underpaid them.

He accused Dr. Gonsalves of “bringing back Massa Days” by taking away people’s retirement monies, lands and homes to give to the National Properties while the head of that company was Victor Hadley whom he said was representative of “the old white plantocracy.”

Leacock, who is also President of the Football Federation, said that the NDP will take Victoria Park and hand it over to that sporting organisation so that the footballers could have a home of their own.