By Duggie Joseph
Caribbean Net News St Vincent Correspondent
Email: duggie@caribbeannetnews.com
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: A large cross-section of persons heeded the call by the St Vincent and the Grenadines opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) on Wednesday, and converged on the capital city of Kingstown for a march and rally, which was aimed at getting the Unity Labour Party (ULP) government of Dr Ralph Gonsalves to call fresh elections.
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| Opposition protestors march through Kingstown, St Vincent |
The NDP made the call for the march, following the early release of drug convict, Alex Lawrence.
Lawrence was released early, after the Prerogative of Mercy Committee met and recommended his early release.
Opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Arnhim Eustace, said the early release of Lawrence was sending the wrong signal to the youths and he and his party began setting the stage for the march.
"We have just started the process to remove (Dr) Ralph Gonsalves from office," Eustace said at the rally, following a march through the streets of Kingstown.
The march commenced at the NDP's Headquarters, Democrat House and ended at Heritage Square, which is in the heart of the city.
The marchers walked the town making their statements with placards, with such slogans as 'Enough is enough"; 'No more corruption'; 'Chavez keep your money'; 'I live by Bush money'; 'No to ALBA, yes to CARICOM' and 'Ralph must go'.
Eustace said the march was for freedom from drugs, freedom from corruption, crimes "and all those things that are destroying the country."
"It's time for Gonsalves to go and you the people must ensure it happens," Eustace said.
Eustace used the occasion of the rally to lash out at Dr Gonsalves and brought up the question of drug barons financing political campaigns.
"You will have a conflict of interest when this happens and we don't want any drug barons to control St Vincent and the Grenadines," Eustace said.
He also hit out President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, who recently visited St Vincent.
Venezuela is one of a number of countries that will be assisting with the construction of an international airport, and while in St Vincent, Chavez took a swipe at the US.
"Chavez must not come here attacking any country we have a relationship with," Eustace said.
The Opposition Leader also raised questions about the signing of the ALBA memorandum, which Dr Gonsalves and the Prime Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica signed, while Chavez was here.
"We do not know if it's going to affect CARICOM," Eustace said.
Eustace made it clear that the opposition was not going to rest until Dr Gonsalves and his Cabinet resigns.
"Today marks a change in the attitude of the opposition towards the government," Eustace said.
"Remember this day. It marks a change in the politics of St Vincent and the Grenadines. At the end of it, Ralph Gonsalves must go."
Leader of the SVG Green Party, Ivan O'Neal, also spoke at the rally and he made a call for fresh elections to be held by September 2007. |
