9 Questions for Ralph Gonsalves

Hon Dr Ralph E. Gonsalves

Ralph Gonsalves talks a lot! He is particularly effusive at his frequently held press conferences. Unfortunately though, I do not get much from the Comrade at these events primarily because the journalists present are not prepared to ask certain critical questions of the Prime Minister.

I am concerned about the personal finances of the Comrade since taking office. As I pay attention to his utterances in recent weeks I can’t help but to wonder aloud. Indeed, I have several questions for him but at this time. But just like the BBC, I pose only 9.

1. Has the Prime Minister earned any income other than his personal emoluments since assuming office in 2001?

2, If the answer to 1 is yes could we be told the source or sources and the approximate amount?

3. At what cost did he develop a private property in the hills at Gorse?

4. Did his wife acquire a property in Cane Garden? If so, at what cost?

5. Two of his children are educated in England at the A’Level stage. Why weren’t they sent to our community?

6. How much did it cost Ralph Gonsalves to educate Storm and Soleil in England and who footed the bill?

7. Did Eloise Gonsalves, the wife of the prime minister, do any work for Dave Ames at Buccament and how much did she make?

8. Is it appropriate for the spouse of a sitting prime minister to go seeking contracts from investors and developers in the ilk of Dave Ames?

9. Is it correct to say that Ms Michelle Andrews was paid substantial moneys to cease all action against Ralph Gonsalves related to the charges of rape and indecent assault levelled against him?

I have several more for the Comrade. But, to keep this post brief, I will stay here for the time being. I would be really grateful if the prime minister would oblige.

Ericka A. Ballantyne

Grenville Williams, a boost for the ULP!

Grenville Williams, Director of the FIU

Although he has denied it publicly, Grenville Williams is seeking to replace David Browne as the ULP’s candidate for the South Leeward seat in the next general elections.

It is only a matter of time before Williams is officially endorsed. In the mean time, he is making the rounds trying to convince the key party faithfuls that he is more than capable and ready to take the plunge into active partisan politics.

The obvious question on everyone’s mind is this: Can Williams succeed where Browne failed? This is yet to be seen. However, in many respects he is a much more attractive prospect than David Browne ever was or could ever be. It therefore makes sense for there to be a peaceful and amicable transition from one caretaker to another, from Browne to Williams.

David Browne is a decent humble man with a big heart and an impulse to serve. However, he does have some severe limitations and deficiencies that render him unfit for parliamentary and ministerial duties in a progressive administration. The issues, concerns and problems are far too varied and complex for the likes of David Browne. He is one whom Dr Richard Cox might describe as an “intellectual pigmy”.

David Browne could arguably be seen as the weakest link in the otherwise formidable chain of the ULP. Despite his obvious good qualities as a community worker, Browne simply does not possess the knowledge and skills base that are required for the modern approach to governance demonstrated by the ULP.

Grenville Williams, for his part, is not a better man than David Browne. But, he is by far a better prospective candidate. Williams has the upbringing, the training and experience that make him aptly suited for representative politics in the modern era.

Move over David! Grenville is the man!

Were the Vincentian Marxists ever close to revolution?

WERE  THE VINCENTIAN MARXIST’S EVER CLOSE TO REVOLUTION?

February 7, 1979, St Vincent:   Ralph Gonsalves says: “St Vincent’s economic base is in ruins. The economy is poised at the precipice of bankruptcy.” He said a way out of the political and economic crisis is contained in the YULIMO program “based on socialist orientation amidst a patriotic call for democratic and anti-Imperialist unity”.

February 1979, Cuba:   Cuba sends a shipment of arms and equipment to Grenada in advance of the Grenadian revolution, timed to arrive at the initial seizure of power in Grenada by Maurice Bishop. The ship lingered in the Caribbean to assess the success of the revolution before docking.  (Maurice Bishop had previously received training by the Cubans and was supported and was to a great degree controlled by them).

The Cubans well known for their export of communist revolution.  They swamped Grenada with Doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, builders of which all had military training and many were military advisor’s and specialist armed services, some disguised.  Many entered the country prior to March 13th 1979, using false Venezuelan passports.  Without the Cuban help and assistance there could not have been a Grenadian revolution.  Huge amounts of arms and ammunitions arrived from Cuba, Russia and several other countries. In fact more than could ever be used for the Grenadian revolution, enough to arm several revolutions on several Caribbean islands. Cuba was backing, funding, training, arming and assisting revolutionary insurgency on several fronts in Central, South and Latin America.  They were also fighting revolutionary wars in cohorts with the Soviet Union (Russia) in several African countries, they needed an airport hub in the Eastern Caribbean as a drop off and launch refueling site  for their aircraft, which were flying regularly from Cuba to Africa.  Of course Cuba was a front for the Soviet Union, it was really Russian communist expansionism that was feeding Cuba’s revolutionary  efforts on several continents. Because everything has a price, when established communist  states gave money or kind to revolutionaries and their projects, they expected to control the proceedings. Maurice Bishop was controlled by the Cubans and Russians, who trained the Grenadian military, police, prison officers and secret service.  They also held classes in Marxism which all party members and Grenadian government workers were required to take.  Some of the upper people in government and military were sent to Cuba or Russia for training and indoctrination.   Some believed the Soviet control via Cuba extended to Saint Vincent.

March 13, 1979, Grenada: A revolutionary coup takes place in Grenada, led by Maurice Bishop. ‘Operation Apple’, the code name for the coup, marked the official beginning of a new government, based on years of preparation. The coup was spearheaded by Cuban personnel who had arrived in Grenada days before as “tourists,” using forged Venezuelan passports. Also the island was already swamped with Cuban military posing as teachers, medical staff and contractors. Cuban aid and Cuban volunteers were indispensable in the coup. Aid was also given by the Soviet Union, socialist (communist) countries in Eastern Europe, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Libya and Syria. Help and support was given by Caribbean communists, such as Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent. Grenada was also becoming a socialist pole of attraction for socialist African Americans.

March 1979, Grenada: Maurice Bishop invited the Vincentian Marxist, Ralph Gonsalves on the second Saturday of the revolution to help with political work. Gonsalves joined Bishop, riding in his car with him to rallies and speeches. Gonsalves had a hand in writing Bishops political speeches.

March 13th 1979, Grenada: A speech by Maurice Bishop to the New JEWEL Party members: “It is clear that our objective as Marxist-Leninists must in the first instance be to construct socialism as rapidly, but scientifically as possible From the start too, comrades, we had an alliance with sections of the upper petty bourgeoisie and national bourgeoisie this was done deliberately so that imperialism won’t get too excited and would say they have some nice fellow’s in the thing; everything alright That was the mistake, for example, the comrades in Gambia made a few months ago. Remember the Gambia coup d’etat a few months ago? What was the first thing those comrades did? They say, If we are Marxist-Leninists and we have just had a Marxist Leninist revolution and we go wipe out the bourgeoisie.” (this was extracted from documents found by the U.S. forces when they invaded Grenada in 1983)

March 15th 1979, Grenada: Based on years of extreme left socialist preparation Bishop became Prime Minister of Grenada, at 34 years of age. His oratorical dynamism and facility with words, phrases and hugging up people and their children were vital skills for the mobilization of a nation. This marked the official beginning of a new style  of communist government.

March 15th  1979, Grenada: Several advisors to Maurice Bishop arrived in Grenada . They were Allan Alexander and Frank Solomon both of Trinidad & Tobago, Miles Fitzpatrick of Guyana, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St.Vincent and Robert “Bobby” Clarke of Barbados. They met with Maurice Bishop, Kenrick Radix and Unison Whiteman.

March 20, 1979, Antigua: At a meeting held in Antigua and Barbuda, leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines decided to examine the feasibility of establishing a regional defense force empowered to intervene in future rebellions “by armed and trained communist revolutionaries” against any of the governments concerned. Despite the obvious threat the region established diplomatic relations with the de facto People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) in Grenada. Regional leaders were swayed by Bishop’s assurances that free and fair elections would be held (a promise never kept).

April 6, 1979, St Vincent: Dr Ralph Gonsalves said in Saint Vincent, “the Popular Revolution in Grenada could be explained by the rise in the people’s consciousness. The effect of the Revolution was that in one stroke it had greatly raised the consciousness of the masses in the whole Caribbean.”

April 13, 1979, St Vincent: The eruption of Mount Soufrière. An explosive eruption occurred accompanied by effusive activity. The eruption was preceded by increased numbers of earthquakes, an increase in the temperature of the crater lake and a slight inflation of the volcano flanks. The eruption started on April 3 with dome building continuing up to 1983. There were no fatalities, but there was loss of crops and livestock. The final cost of eruption to the economy was estimated at EC$13,784,797. Over 14,000 people were evacuated from areas located north of Union Village (east) and Belleisle Hill (west); explosions continued for two weeks followed by six months of non-explosive emission of lava. The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines sought and obtained US$541,423 from the United Nations Development Programme for this project which facilitated the expansion and improvement of the volcano monitoring program at the Soufrière volcano.

Ralph Gonsalves, a Vincentian politician and Marxist activist, a lecturer in government and sociology at UWI (Barbados 1976 – December1979), travels in March 1979 to Grenada, to support the revolution and help Maurice Bishop with his revolutionary work.

July 1979, St Vincent: Some of St Vincent’s political parties join forces: The PDM and YOULIMO unite. Parnel Campbell, Oscar Allen, Renwick Rose, Ralph Gonsalves.

August 1979, St Vincent: United Peoples Movement (UPM) launched. The party executives: Dr Ralph E. Gonsalves, Dr. Kenneth John, Carlyle Dougan, Renwick Rose and Oscar Allen.

A statement by Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves said, “The UPM is an independent party. A party which is concerned about St Vincent. The party’s affairs will be conducted with flexibility and good sense, reflecting those interests which we consider national.”

August 3, 1979, St Vincent: Ralph Gonsalves, in a Vincentian newspaper question and answer article, denies that he or YULIMO are communist. That he does not wish to make St Vincent a communist state.

August 17, 1979, St Vincent: A letter printed on page 5 of the Vincentian newspaper from ‘A concerned Vincentian’ “YOULIMO is lying about not being communist”.

The People’s Political Party (PPP), with the development of a more conservative black middle class, began to lose support steadily, until it collapsed after a rout in the 1979 elections.

The St Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) led the island to independence, winning the first post-independence election in 1979.

September 2, 1979, St Vincent: Parnel Campbell returns from the UK for a two week visit. Believed to be in connection with his political activities, he is an active member of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM). The PDM recently formed an alliance with the parties YULIMO and ARWEE.

In 1979, London: Campbell successfully completed his law studies in the UK and was called to the Bar as a member of Grays Inn, in November 1978.

September 1979, St Vincent:  Parnel Campbell in an interview was asked for his socialist views. He was asked how he felt about communism: “The Vincentian man needed an inspiration of economic justice if he was to put forward the effort needed for the society to develop and make progress.”

During 1979, Grenada:   Cuban aid to Grenada was extensive in areas which affect the security of its government and the island’s strategic usefulness to Cuba. Cuba has advisers on the island offering military, technical, security, and propaganda assistance to the Bishop government. Many Grenadians have been sent to Cuba for training in these areas. Last year journalists observed Cuban officials directing and giving orders to Grenadian soldiers marching in ceremonies in St. George’s.

October 13th  1979, Grenada: The “Torchlight,” the only free press Newspaper in Grenada, was closed. Mass arrests followed of persons considered to be “counter-revolutionaries.” Cuba built a 75-kilowatt transmitter for Radio Free Granada. Grenada’s state-controlled press, enjoying a government enforced monopoly, enforcing news was to a strict “revolutionary” line. Indications are that the new transmitter will continue this emphasis while providing facilities for beaming Cuban and Soviet-supplied propaganda into the Caribbean and South America.

October 19, 1979, St. Vincent: The United Peoples Movement (UPM) [consisting of: PDM, YULIMO, ARWEE] held a march and rally. The main speakers were Renwick Rose, Ralph Gonsalves and Parnel Campbell.

October 27, 1979, St. Vincent: Independence (St Vincent and the Grenadines).

Flag of St Vincent and the Grenadines 27 Oct 1979 – Mar 1985 (flag changed in 1985 by omission of white stripes)

October 27, 1979, St. Vincent: Constitution: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gained full independence and elected to stay within the British Commonwealth.

Milton Cato, elected prime minister, 27 October 1979 to 30 July 1984.

Sir Sydney Gun-Munro (27 October 1979–28 February 1985) appointed first Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

In 1979, St. Vincent: The United People’s Movement (UPM), a progressive, nationalist, and anti-colonialist group, which included among its leaders PR Campbell, Renwick Rose, Kenneth John, Oscar Allen, and Ralph Gonsalves, took a principled line of: “YES” to independence. The political forces which made up the UPM were prepared to go to London for “independence talks” with Premier Cato as part of a broad-based national movement; Cato rejected their requests to accompany him. James Mitchell and Ebenezer Joshua, rejected Cato’s repeated invitations for them to join him in the London at the “independence talks”. Mitchell and Joshua were, at the time opposition parliamentarians to Cato.

In 1979, St. Vincent:  General elections, the United Peoples Movement (UPM) led by Ralph Gonsalves, Renwick Rose and Parnell Campbell won 14.5% of votes in the country but under the system won no parliamentary seats. The UPM had performed dismally. Their own analysis told them that in spite of their hopes, they were too academic in their approach and for the most part naive. UPM, United People’s Movement, was the coming together of three main groups, namely DFM, which was a grouping of EFP, headed by Parnell Campbell and PDM, headed by Carlyle Dougan; ARWE, a group out of Diamonds Village, headed by Oscar Allen and YULIMO, a group ultimately as a result of the coming together of various predecessor groupings, from Rose Place. Shortly after the 1979 general elections, the DFM faction broke away. They lingered on for a short while and finally gave way by1984, making way for one of its members, Eddie Griffith to contest the Central Kingstown seat on an NDP ticket. The UPM struggled on under the leadership of Renwick Rose and Ralph Gonsalves, Gonsalves being the joint-absentee leader. The party became a virtual protégé of Maurice Bishop and the MJM in Grenada.

October 1979, St. Vincent: Independence of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from the United Kingdom, the Saint Vincent Labour Party (SVLP), led by Prime Minister Milton Cato, garnered 11 out of 13 elected seats in the December 1979 election.

Sir Sydney Gun-Munro(27 October 1979–28 February 1985) appointed first Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

November 9, 1979, St. Vincent: Vincentian Newspaper, page 5: In a published letter from Cameron G. King.

[excerpt] “YULIMO/UPM they are anti-Christian people. They are upset that I have exposed their ideology for its anti-God stand. They follow Marx who was an atheist. Marx did not believe in God. Marxism-Leninism is a Godless creed. It is a Godless creed aimed at one party dictatorship, and requiring the denial of human rights to all those who have conflicting views. They are upset that I have alerted Christians to the grave danger of electing men whose creed is anti-Christ and anti-God. Let us not be fooled into thinking YULIMO and ARWELL are the only groups subscribing to Marxist disbelief in God. One of the leading lights in the PDM has plainly said time and time again that he does not believe in God. Now his son repeats the statement everywhere.”

December 1979, St. Vincent: A large yacht name ‘Sayonara Alpha’ anchored off Villa Beach, and had laid at anchor for several weeks. The police, following a tip-off, searched the vessel. They found it loaded with guns, ammunition and explosives. Four crew members were taken into custody, they were said to be three English, one German and a Caribbean man. A story at the time was that the boat was used as a transfer depot for the weapons. Also that a local group was involved in receiving the arms. There was much speculation if this was part of the Caribbean Marxist Conspiracy.

December 8, 1979, St. Vincent: The government had to quell an uprising on Union Island. The uprising called the “December Revolt” on Union Island by a group that wanted more power in the country’s new government. Rastafarians seized the airport, police station, and revenue office on Union Island in the Grenadines.

On notification of the uprising Milton Cato immediately declared a state of emergency and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines. Less than two weeks into the curfew, the government’s action was criticized by the Marxist led United People’s Movement (UPM) in an official release in which co-leader Renwick Rose (other co-leader Ralph Gonsalves), complained of police harassment of three members of the UPM over speculations of their involvement in the Union Island uprising. Rose also argued that there was no reason why the state of emergency could not be confined to a part of or the entire Grenadines since it was “creating such serious economic loss and personal inconvenience at that festive time of year.” In justification of his action, Prime Minister Cato stated that the government had conclusive evidence of a “link between the Union Island rebels and forces on the mainland, whose intentions were to execute a similar event in St Vincent.” According to Cato, the seizure of a yacht with a large quantity of ammunition, the attempted burning of the Public Works Building and the destruction of the PBX system housed in the same building were evidence of a plot by the mainland Marxist forces.

Fearing an uprising in Saint Vincent, Cato appealed to Barbados for help. Within hours of his appeal, Barbados sent a detachment of soldiers to St Vincent where they remained for the next six days before going on to Union Island. The decision by the Tom Adams Barbados Government to deploy Bajan troops on Vincy soil was strongly condemned by that country’s opposition socialist party the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). Leader of the DLP and opposition leader Errol Barrow criticized the action of Prime Minister Adams on the basis that the Union Island uprising was an internal affair that ought to be handled only by Vincentian forces. Barrow accused Adams of usurping authority and setting a dangerous precedent by sending troops into St Vincent.

Renwick Rose later stated that the UPM party had nothing to do with the uprising.

December 1979, St. Vincent:  In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the newly formed United People’s Movement, an alliance of three opposition parties including the socialist Youlou Liberation Movement, led by Ralph Gonsalves, raised up a leftist challenge to the Milton Cato government.  Milton Cato hated communist’s and therefore disliked Ralph Gonsalves. As Cato’s fright grew, the establishment became more and more hysterical. Cato’s rabid anti-communist campaign evoked echoes of Georgetown in the turbulent 1960s. Kathy Sunshine records: “…sound trucks patrolled the capital at 4 am booming: Do not let the communists take over in St. Vincent! If you vote UPM, you vote  for communism! If you have two sheep, they will take one! If you have one sheep, they will cut it in half!”

December 1979, St. Vincent:  General Elections, the United Peoples Movement (UPM) led by Ralph Gonsalves and Renwick Rose, won 14.5% of votes in the country but under the system won no parliamentary seats. The UPM had performed dismally. Their own analysis told them that in spite of their hopes, they were to academic in their approach and for the most part naïve. The UPM was the coming together of three main groups, namely DFM, which was a grouping of EFP, headed by Parnel Campbell and PDM, headed by Carlyle Dougan; ARWE, a group out of Diamonds Village, headed by Oscar Allen and YULIMO, a group ultimately as a result of the coming together of various predecessor groupings, from Rose Place. Shortly after the 1979 general elections, the DFM faction broke away. They lingered on for a short while and finally gave way by 1984, making way for one of its members, Eddie Griffithto contest  the Central Kingstown seat on an NDP ticket. The UPM struggled on under the leadership of Renwick Rose and Ralph Gonsalves, Gonsalves being a joint-absentee leader. The party became a virtual protégé of Maurice Bishop and the MJM in Grenada.

December 1979, Barbados:  Vincentian, Ralph E. Gonsalves was fired from his post as a lecturer at Cave Hill University and his work permit was revoked by the Barbadian government and made ‘persona non gratis’.  This was brought about by his  newspaper articles which were deemed seditious and communistic, communist propaganda.   Ralph E. Gonsalves, Vincentian,  lectured in Government  and Sociology at UWI (Barbados) from 1976-1979, Assumed the position of Visiting Professor at Queens College, Queens, New York, in 1980.

Peter Binose

Gonsalves…desperate and dangerous!

Ralph Gonsalves

I advise Chris to watch his back, and even his front and sides.  Crossing GONSALVES could lay him open to immense spite,  unfettered retaliation and perhaps even physical harm from some of the lunatic fringe supporters.

I consider Gonsalves as desperate and dangerous!

It is my opinion and obvious to me that he has some kind of mental problem in accepting what is right and what is wrong. Inside is outside and outside is inside, downside is upside and upside is downside, clean is dirty and dirty is clean, black is white and white is black, forward is backward and backward is forward, paid is unpaid and unpaid is paid, realistic is unrealistic and unrealistic is realistic, truth is untruth and untruth is truth, ALBA is crap and crap is ALBA, diplomatic is undiplomatic and undiplomatic is diplomatic.

What a scrabbled and disjointed mind he must have. As the minister of almost everything important, is he a suitable person to have such power and authority? He promised us better times and he has given us worse times; he promised us wealth and has given us poverty; he promised us decency and has given indecency; he promised us intelligence and has given us idiocy; he promised us a cut in crime and has given us an increase in crime; he promised us security but has given us insecurity; he promised us a Dream Team and has given us a nightmare; he promised us a new airport without cost and has brought to the nation a huge debt; he promised us a national stadium and has given us a muddy field; promised us a cross country road and has given us zilch.

Rape and murder are becoming the urban and village norm under the government’s “own the” campaign, “own the Crime”. Police officers who are convicted criminals being re-employed, bringing us disgrace and humiliation before the whole World. The abandonment of the PACE legislation to allow the police to torture those that they question, beating being common in interview rooms and cells.

Remember Gonsalves loves to discredit people, loves to plant nonsense in the minds of the ignorant. This is the man who said ” I only do Obea for the Lord”

The Comrade vs 2Cool Chris!

Christopher aka 2Cool Chris is arguably the most popular radio personality in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. But, 2Cool is much more than a radio DJ. He has become the accidental mouth piece, the voice of the suffering masses in this country. Every week day morning as he turns on his mic, it is safe to say that thousands of Vincentians both at home and abroad hangs on to his every word. After all, he speaks for them!

Interestingly, 2Cool hardly ever gives his views on the issues of the day. He simply poses the questions. At times he may give his own “two bits.” What he does however, is to generate significant interest in his chosen topic and this drives his listeners to call. And, they do call!

No issue is out of bounds for 2Cool! He raises questions about everything! The management of carnival; the state of the roads; the pace of economic decline; the performance of the police; man-woman relationships; homosexuality; demon possession; the spate of criminal activity; he role of the church and their pastors. You name it and 2cool has touched it!

Now, it seems as if 2Cool has some how gotten on the nerves of the “Big Man”! It seems as if he has annoyed the Comrade; it seems as if he has irritated the Prime Minister, Hon Dr Ralph E. Gonsalves.

Ralph Gonsalves

Why else would the Big Man use an official function to let loose a barrage of invectives against certain “DJs”? According to the PM, DJs know nothing about the management of the country and its economy. They are in no position to advise him accordingly. Let them stick to what they know, Vybz Kartel, Sizzla, and Movado. Let them talk about Gaza and Gully…Leave the serious business of running the country to the expert. Leave it to the Comrade!

When I read those comment as reported in the press, I had to SMH and LMAO! OMG!

What is wrong with the Big Man?

I think the PM is losing it if he refuses to understand and accept what 2Cool Chris is all about. This is a man who has made a successful political career out of “listening” to and “speaking” for the masses, particularly the poor. Now that, they the masses, the poor and working people find a refreshing voice in 2Cool Chris, the PM is seeking to shut him up!

Attacking 2Cool in the way he did is just another of the fatal errors that the Big man continues to make. His utterances have driven thousands more to listen to 2cool. Dozens more will call, text, ping and tweet!

To be sure, the Comrade has a lot that get him vex. I suggest that he joins the line like everyone else and tell it to 2Cool!

E A Ballantyne

Keith Miller is such an ass!

Commissioner of Police, Keith Miller

Which country in the civilised world would continue to tolerate a creature like Keith Miller as head of its security apparatus?

This man has got to be the biggest fool that has ever risen to such a position. The depth and breadth of his stupidity are boundless. Yet, he is allowed to be the chief security officer in this country.

Consider these:

1. Miller bungled the investigation into the rape allegations against the prime minister.

2. He allowed three convicted criminals to resume duties after they were found guilty of beating a young man nearly to death.

3. Miller allowed himself to fall for stupid scam and paid out nearly $10,000 in the process.

These are but a few examples of the foolishness that Miller represents. Why he is still the commissioner of police only God in heaven knows!

PM defends giving Dave Ames citizenship By Kenton X. Chance (I-Witness News)

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves on Monday defended his administration’s granting citizenship to investors such as Dave Ames of Buccament Bay Resort.

Gonsalves, who has ministerial responsibilities for citizenship matters, suggested that Ames was granting citizenship because of his investment here but maintained that it is not economic citizenship.

Dave Ames

“I don’t know whether it has crossed some persons minds, but when a person invests substantially in a country, … it is also in some ways helpful for the country itself to give that person citizenship,” Gonsalves said at a press briefing in response to a reporter’s question.

“Let’s say there is a conflict. Foreign government can’t come and say ‘But look at how you are dealing with my citizen.’ And you say, ‘What you mean your citizen? Its my citizen,’” he further stated.

“So anybody who cannot see the difference between citizenship granted under the general law and an economic citizenship where you actually pay upfront — this is not a basis of anybody paying upfront for anything, this is a basis of somebody making an important contribution in the country. It is as simple as that,” he further said.

Gonsalves’ defence of Ames’ citizenship comes even as Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace and other citizens question the difference between citizenship granted to Ames and economic citizenship advocated by the New Democratic Party (NDP).

(Read also: How did Buccament Bay investor Dave Ames obtain Vincentian citizenship?)

Shortly after coming to office in 2001, Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration rescinded the economic citizenship programme instituted by the NDP.

He has since vehemently opposed such a programme and has likened it to selling passport which he describes as “the outward sign of the inner grace” that is citizenship – “the highest office in the land”.

Gonsalves said that he has never criticised the NDP for granting citizenship under the general law, which provides for persons to become Vincentian by birth or through descent, marriage, naturalisation, and residence plus contribution.

Ralph Gonsalves

“I’m not going to discuss why a particular person has been granted citizenship as against somebody else. In other words, I am not individualizing this,” he said, adding that he did not want applicants to feel that their application could be the subject of a public discussion involving the Prime Minister.

He said that under the NDP’s economic citizenship programme, a person paid for citizenship and then invested. “… they were actually selling the citizenship, selling the passport,” Gonsalves said.

But, according to Gonsalves, under his government, investors are granted citizenship under different circumstances.

“… they did not obtain their citizenship under an economic citizenship programme. They had come to the country, residing, visiting, made their investment, and after the passage of a number of years, they say ‘We would like to be citizens’ because they have put down a number of resource here or in some case they have lived here a number of years.

“And then, that application, made in the normal way — not in any especial way under any economic citizenship programme — is considered by the minister responsible for citizenship, which is the prime minister. And if Mr. Eustace cannot see a difference between economic citizenship and that, then I am real sorry for him…” Gonsalves said.

Ames’ company, which began operating here around 2006, has invested about EC$400 million at Buccament Bay.

Gonsalves said that someone residing here for 10 years might not be granted citizenship but temporary residence.

“And then somebody again would be there for a shorter period of time, who has made an important contribution and you give them citizenship,” he said.

How did Dave Ames become a Vincentian? By Amor Rodney

Ralph Gonsalves (left) and Dave Ames (right)

In a story published in one of SVG’s local newspaper, it was revealed that Mr Dave Ames, one of the principals in Harlequin Properties, the developers of the associated with the Buccama Bay Resorts, is now a citizen of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. If this is indeed so, then I think it was a good move on the part of the government to grant a Vincentian passport to Mr Ames.

After all, the gentleman has done a lot for the economy of this country and he has great plans to do even more. It therefore stands to reason that Ames’ activities would be made less challenging for him as a citizen.

Even as support the granting of citizenship to Mr Ames, some questions arise out of the situation. For instance

1. What criteria was used by the authorities to grant citizenship for a foreign national who is not normally resident in St. Vincent and the Grenadines?
2. Which of the conditions as laid down in the constitution and applicable legislation did Ames meet satisfy in order to be granted citizenship?
3. For how long has Ames been a citizen?
4. How long did it take from the point of application to the actual granting of citizenship?
5. Is there a fast track to citizenship in SVG?
6. Could Ames be classified as an economic citizen?
7. Are there any others who were granted citizenship under similar conditions to those of Mr Ames?
8. Does Mr Ames’ status signal a turn around in the government’s position regarding economic citizenship?
9. Does the prime minister owe the country an explanation?
10. Has the NDP’s position been vindicated?

We must welcome David Ames as a citizen of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He does have a great deal to offer this country. However, given circumstances in which his status was revealed; given the position of the government against the so call economic citizenship program; it is only reasonable to expect a full explanation regarding the conditions under which Mr Ames is now the bearer of a Vincentian passport.

Mr Ames, welcome to St. Vincent and the Grenadines! May your endeavour be forever profitable!

Amor Rodney

Protect the suffering children of Syria!

The article below (taken from http://world.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/88185.php ) gives a clear indication of the extent of the atrocities now being perpetrated by both sides  of the conflict in Syria. Take a look!

Syrian troops have tortured children and used them as human shields on tanks to prevent attacks by opposition forces, a UN report says.
The UN’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict said children were being tortured in detention and slaughtered in massacres.
The report said rebel forces were also using children on the front line.
Separately the US has accused Syria of planning another massacre, while the UN chief condemned the rising violence.
‘Torture marks’
The UN special representative, Radhika Coomaraswamy, told the BBC her team had returned from Syria with “horrific” reports.
She said she had never seen a similar situation where children were not spared – and even targeted – in a conflict.
“Many former soldiers spoke about shooting into civilian areas, seeing children, young children being killed and maimed,” she said.
“We also had testimonies and saw children who had been tortured, and who carried the torture marks with them. We also heard of children being used – this was recounted to us by some children – of being put on tanks and being used as human shields so that the tanks would not be fired upon.”
However, she also criticised the opposition Free Syrian Army for endangering children.
“For the first time we heard of children being recruited by the Free Syrian Army mainly in medical and service orientated jobs but still on the front line,” she said.
Ms Coomaraswamy said the suffering inflicted on children in Syria was unusual even for combat situations.
“We are really quite shocked. Killing and maiming of children in cross-fire is something we come across in many conflicts but this torture of children in detention, children as young as 10, is something quite extraordinary, which we don’t really see in other places.”
She said that in recent massacres children under the age of 10 had been summarily killed.
The UN’s annual report on children and armed conflict cited one attack on the village of Ayn l’Arouz in Idlib province on 9 March.
It quoted a witness saying how several young children were forcibly taken from their homes and “used by soldiers and militia members as human shields, placing them in front of the windows of buses carrying military personnel into the raid on the village”.
Other children described being beaten, blindfolded, subjected to stress positions, whipped with heavy electrical cables, scarred by cigarette burns and in one case subjected to electrical shock during interrogations, the report said.

For how long will the international community allow this sordid affair to continue? Thousands have already lost their lives for freedom. Yet, the world is still talking. Remember Libya? Weren’t troops already in the air and on the ground purportedly protecting the people? What is taking them so long to protect the people of Syria?

Is Ralph Gonsalves a political fraud? By Steve Huggins

Ralph Gonsalves

It might interest you to know that I was one of ‘comrade’ Ralph’s original students, from one of the youngest, and hence most pliable,  group.  I have always recounted to all and sundry, even in international audiences, that he was instrumental in motivating me to transition to the more studious HIGH SCHOOL CULTURE.   I may tell you how, one of these days, if you’re good.

I have ‘benefited’ from College and University training in the West Indies, Europe, and North America.  Don’t jump and tell me the whole ‘colonialist’ hog-wash about the “European” junket, however.   Most of the UWI books that Ralph studied from, great anti-colonialists we at UWI were, were written by WHITE EUROPEAN or NORTH AMERICAN authors, especially in his Social Sciences faculty.   Additionally, I studied in partly Communist and post-communist Europe – – – not very “western ‘colonial’ cultures”.

Outside of UWI, Ralph attended the lesser rated MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY.   Even years hence, one could attend on not more than eighty [80] pounds sterling, visiting the classes on a ‘part-time’ post graduate level, living with your Vincy relatives in England, and even getting part time tutoring jobs to help pay your way through.  Friends, colleagues, and family used to urge me to come and take advantage of this great WHITE BRITISH [COLONIAL POWER] opportunity.

Other Vincentians have gone this route:  Bottom Town’s own Dr. KENNETH JOHN  and Dickson Village’s own CLINTO SPRING, among others.   Ralph shouldn’t give you the idea that he went to heaven when he went to Manchester, if he does.  And, his UWI, Mona campus, was just a COLONIAL APPENDAGE OF A COLONIAL BRITISH UNIVERSITY, which British officers, even if ceremonial, at the top – – – AND MANY PROFESSORS WERE WHITE BRITISH, AMERICAN,  AND BRITISH EMPIRE CITIZENS.

Both he and Kenneth John attended the self-same educational institutions:  BOYS GRAMMAR SCHOOL,  UWI-MONA CAMPUS, and MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY.   They were IN THE SAME FACULTY.   Ralph is ‘special’, or particularly ‘bright’.  No better than Kenneth.  Except, maybe, Kenneth black.

Quite admittedly, Ralph did help to rapidly increase THE PHYSICAL PLANT in the SVG education system, even discounting the “PLY-WOOD” housing he forcibly pushed the younger, more tender and susceptible, students into – – – to make way for the larger intake of high school students.

I had long called for greatly expanded numbers of high school classrooms, students, and teachers – – – even utliizing the then existing facilities.   My immediate crusade, for donkey years, had been to almost IMMEDIATELY turning the then SENIOR SECTIONS OF THE ‘ALL-AGE’ PRIMARY and Post-Primary SCHOOLS, “THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS”, into JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.  That was for myriad years prior to Ralph making some effort in that general direction.

That expansion was WOEFULLY OVERDUE – – – just as the VITALLY NECESSARY PAVED HIGHWAY and roads to “CARIB COUNTRY” and TELEPHONES AND ELECTRICITY, SEVERAL PROPER BRIDGES, and full NBC-Radio 705 coverage, there ABOVE THE RABACCA DRY RIVER- – – almost criminally neglected in the past.

Where Ralph has made some effort in any of these directions, or the NDP administrations before him, these are appreciated.  But NOT WITH GUSTO, as these were ALL OVERDUE projects and services.  Thanks; but NO acolytic human-worshipping.  So, too, with the LONG-OVERDUE expanded Secondary (High) School education services.   BUT, where, on earth, do you see cause for human idol worshipping?  Are you that crass?

Your human idol was merely doing NO MORE THAN WAS EXPECTED OF ANY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE.  And, he even came in THROUGH THE POLITICAL BACK DOOR.   Rastaman say “Back ah Death” !

But, it would be the very height of IGNORANCE AND FOOLISHNESS to CONFUSE THE PROVISION OF EXPANDED PHYSICAL FACILITIES, even “Plywood”ones, WITH ACTUAL EDUCATIONAL OR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

OUR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IS STILL DOWN and UNTENABLY LOW, even with lowered actual requirements, compared to our performances in the past or with our Eastern Caribbean neighbours.

The inept Ralph administration failed to make adequate provisions or preparations for the greatly multiplied influx of eleven plus students into our expanded high school population.   Little or no training of remedial and SWD specialist teachers was done, or, indeed, politically anticipated !  Hence the tremendous pedagogical headache created for the SVG high schools.

From extensive experience, this phenomenon would result in drastic, negative, impact on the normal performances of the schools.  A lot of resources, which would otherwise have been a great filip to our education system, were unfortunately wasted. misused, and underutilized.

What Ralph’s ULP ADMINISTRATION HAVE DONE is quite in order, expected, and not unprecendented.   It was, and is, just par for the course.  Your party idol is NOT ANY KIND OF POLITICAL SUPERMAN.    He is just an ordinary politician.  Yes, JUST A POLITICIAN.

The only difference is that he has espoused MARXISM-LENINISM or COMMUNIST ATHEISM for most of his life.  And, he keeps some sordid DESPOTIC, MEGALO-MANIAC company, who are the COMMUNIST JUNTA  among the TIN-POT LATIN AMERICAN MILITARY DICTATORSHIPS, led by rubber stamp CENTRAL COMMITTEE of THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CUBA.

That sinister IDEOLOGY, and those associations, sound the DEATH-KNELL of SVG FREEDOM, INDEPENDENCE, AND REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.

AND, herein lies the problem.   As a true COMMUNIST DOCTRINAIRE IDEOLOGIST, Ralph would strategically have little or no real interest in our students and schools improving our academic performances.    Our failure in this area would be used as a TACTICAL COMMUNIST PRETEXT TO BRING IN HIS COMMUNIST GUERILLA CADRES FROM COMMUNIST CUBA, as his proffered communist ‘solution.’

One of the biggest PLANKS IN THE MARXIST-LENINIST MODUS OPERANDI IS TO IDEOLOGICALLY INDOCTRINATE THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH of the targeting victim population, and thus ENSURING THEIR TOTAL, ABSOLUTE, COMMUNIST INFILTRATION AND SUBVERSION of our WEST INDIAN SOCIETIES – – – to MAKE WAY FOR THE TOTAL VIOLENT OVERTHROW OF OUR FREE, REPRESENTATIVE,  CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACIES.

THAT would be the completion of just ONE MORE STEP in their ideological MARCH TOWARD their vainly envisoned BLOODY, VIOLENT, WORLD COMMUNIST REVOLUTION.

IF YOU are NOT JUST A POLITICAL CAD, Caddy, then you WOULD INVESTIGATE AND STUDY why the RUSSIAN COMMUNISTS’ SOVIET UNION concentrated on “offering” FREE EDUCATION to the children and young people in COMMUNIST RUSSIA, MAOIST COMMUNIST CHINA, AND CASTROITE COMMUNIST CUBA [ 'Isle of Youth'], among others.

This is their perceived CERTAIN COMMUNIST ROAD to ‘SOCIALIST VICTORY’ – – – BY THE CRIMINAL INDOCTRINATION  AND MENTAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL ENSLAVEMENT OF OUR YOUTH AND CHILDREN.   Look what bloody Mao ‘achieved’ with them in the MAD, DERANGED ‘CULTURAL REVOLUTION’ .

Do you see, now, their STRATEGY, TACTICS, and NEFARIOUS IDEOLOGICAL GOALS in COMMUNIZING OUR EDUCATION ?  The ‘free scholarships’  of castroism  are but A DIRECT COPY OF THE COMMUNIST INDOCTRINATION CENTERS OF THE SOVIET RUSSIAN COMMUNISTS.   Explore them !

Yet, our Eastern Caribbean people, and leaders, are blindly accommodating these LIKE HEEDLESS LEMMINGS TO THE REGIONAL SLAUGHTER.

NOBODY IS TELLING CARICOM/ OECS LEADERS NOT TO ‘COZY UP’ WITH THESE BLOODY COMMUNIST DESPOTS, ARE THEY?

HENCEFORTH, we must re-double our efforts to improve, excel, and re-gain OUR EDUCATIONALLY EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES.

Remember that the Communists FOISTED Communist CUBAN nurses and doctors on us?  Remember their poor level of training and competence, as determined and shockingly discovered by our SVG medical personnel ?

What became of our SVG SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH SERVICES ?   Why, then, do we need these CUBAN COMMUNIST plants, who are not infrequently SCHOOLED IN COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY AND MILITIA WARFARE ?

Why,  in “SCRUNTING” SVG,  do we EMPLOY AND PAY FOR CUBAN COMMUNIST DRIVERS and UNSKILLED ‘WORKERS’, or CUBAN MILITARY IRREGULARS, when so many SVG workers can’t find work ?

Don’t we have enough UNEMPLOYED DRIVERS, CHAFFEURS, HEAVY MACHINERY OPERATORS, and UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS ?

WHY is this POOR, SUFFERING, COUNTRY BEING FORCED BY THIS UNPATRIOTIC POLITICAL DESPOT TO PAY FOR FOREIGN CUBAN WORKERS, WHEN SO MANY OF OUR SVG PEOPLE DON’T HAVE JOBS, CAN’T MAKE ENDS MEET, AND ARE RESIGNED TO unsustainable CREDIT AND BEGGING THEIR DAILY BREAD ?

Did you say, “EDUCATION REVOLUTION” ?   WHAT kind of ‘Revolution’ ?

REVOLUTION, FOR WHAT ???!!!

An ‘education revolution’ – – – WITHOUT PERFORMANCE and  MINUS IMPROVEMENT ?

You already have FOREIGN, CUBAN, WORKERS, NURSES, DOCTORS, DRIVERS . . .

GET READY FOR THE INFLUX OF CUBAN ‘TEACHERS’  – – – er . . . CUBAN MILITIAS and MILITARY IRREGULARS . . . and CUBAN COMMUNIST INDOCTRINATION SPECIALISTS.

QUO VADIS, SVG.   How long shall we VINCENTIANS tolerate this gross communist exploitation and take-over ?!