Sunday, December 11, 2011

PM Gonsalves says: Matters under control

Author: William 'Kojah' Anthony Published: 12/01/2011

The ‘Party faithfuls’ who braved the heavy rains to attend the Convention. Inset: Dr. Ralph Gonsalves credited the relatively calming period to strong leadership in the ULP government.
Vincentian Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is under no illusions that it is smooth sailing, but he is taking credit for having matters under control.

Addressing the 18th Unity Labour Party Convention last Sunday at the Campden Park secondary School, Dr. Gonsaslves fired up his charges.

That day was marked by overcast skies and for hours, shower. Pools of water filled the roads and commuters had to be cautious.

The scheduled 8:30am start was not realistic and when it did get going, its was already close to midday. Glimmers of sunshine peeped through occasionally, but that was not prolonged.
Dr. Gonsalves began with a Bible reading from Esther 7. He referred to Haman’s hanging on a 75 foot gallows that he had built for Mordecia.

More heroes

Former Prime Minister Robert Milton Cato came in for tribute from Dr. Gonsalves, and if Dr. Gonsalves gets his way, Cato will be one of the persons considered for national Hero status next year.

Cato’s one time rival Ebenezer Theodore Joshua is also being touted as a potential national hero as well as George Augustus McIntosh.

Those issues will be put before the public and Dr. Gonsalves expects the debate to be made “dispassionately.”

He wants citizens to be “mature,” and “reflective,” and he is looking at the addition of the national heroes as a healing process.

“It would help us to bind the divisiveness in this country,” he outlined.

The Vincentian Prime Minister added: “It would be a way of signaling an era of greater unity,” Dr. Gonsalves stated.

Strong leadership

Mindful that the world faces its worst economic period for eighty years and foreign investors are not as adventurous as before, Dr. Gonsalves retraced the backdrop to the unfolding situation.

He reflected on the financial down turn triggered in 2008 which affected Clico and British American Insurance Companies and highlighted problems created in the financial sector by Hurricane Tomas in October 2010 and torrential rains and flooding in April 2011.

“In addition to the pre-existing problems, we are still standing… surviving and thriving amidst the challenges,” he boasted.

Dr. Gonsalves credited the relatively calm situation to leadership of the ULP government. He alluded to the theme of the Convention and pointed out: “A leader must know the times. That is why we have to build the resilience.”

He used the opportunity to urge citizens to work hard. “We must have a resolute and hard working people,” he said.

He chided the outbreak of violence and condemned the persistence of laziness and echoed his call for persons to “lift our productivity.”

The question of the banana industry occupied the Prime Minister’s attention and he promised spraying “later this year or early next year.”

Dr Gonsalves spoke also of the Alba bank loan for 25 years at two percent interest. Some of that money goes towards the construction of the Argyle International Airport and some to Central government.

He rehashed some of his more recent activities, including the official opening of the Electricity Generating Plant at Lowmans Bay.

Comments
Lorne
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Greater unity means that together every one achieve more, even the bible condemn laziness, the ants is the smallest insects yet work hard to provide food all summer long to store for the winter season, so what is our excuse, stop depending on the government for every thing and start doing something for our selves, God give us land and tallent so lets get together and use it, ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country, killing each other only bring more course to our selves and our country, do not for get the good book said to love your neighbors as you love your selves, do unto others as we want done unto our selves. Parents, do not for get that our children are the future teach them well and let them lead the way show them all the beauty they possess inside give them a sense of pride to make it easier let the children's laughter remind us what we use to be, always set good example for our children to follow so that their future would be brighter in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee. Banana is one of St. Vincent's main crop, people's livelyhood depend on it the government should act now not next year to help the people produce healthier banana crops. The Prime Minister should also take into consideration that the people of St. Vincent are over charged for high cost of electricity and should regulate electricity and high cost of telephone charges in St. Vincent, raising property taxes so high that people cannot afford to pay it is not helping our economy, it just leave more people homeless. Let us all work hard together to make St. Vincent a better place to live and for a better future for our children and grand children......PEACE,LOVE,UNITY TO ALL.

noel james
Sunday, December 04, 2011
GIVEN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FACING SVG (many have to do with poor fiscal management at the local level); AND GIVEN THE TRACK RECORD OF THE ULP GOVERNMENT, led by Dr. Gonsalves, can one honestly say that he is a "Leader of The Times"? I do not think so.

Angus E. T. Johnny
Thursday, December 08, 2011
We are living in a world where prominent countries are facing economic collapse due to sovereign debt, their banks are over exposed to one toxic asset or another and if the state does not commit tax payers money to saving these banks they will collapse with catasthropic consequences for that country.... Austerity is the name of the game at the moment, hard pressed peoples are being asked to bear the burdens of economic collapse while those(the Bankers) who triggered this world economic recession get away with it.... SVG's population of just over 100,000 people would be on the receiving end of this global recession, no matter which party is in Government, it can't live in a bubble with one section of society pointing an accusing finger at the other and blaming them for all the ills of this world.... There is a hard slog ahead for most countries on this planet, if things get worse, ie, the Euro collapses, a global depression akin to the 1930's will be upon us. It's time to cast politics aside in a small economy like SVG, work together for the betterment of the country and hope that the economic hurricane looming on the horizon is not realised.

http://www.thevincentian.com/dcmain.aspx?p=0&i=8894&skin=38&tID=198

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