Congratulations and Best Wishes

WE BEGIN BY extending our heartiest congratulations to Dr Godwin Friday, the duly elected Prime Minister and his colleagues of the New Democratic Party (NDP) for their sweeping victory at the polls last Thursday.

Although many forecasters had predicted a NDP victory in what was expected to be a close fight, the scale of the victory, 14 seats to 1, was both spectacular and unexpected.

Former Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, had been of late promoting the Labour Party, (the original and its Unity Labour Party successor), as the “natural party of governance” locally, but it cannot escape attention that the two largest margins of victory were scored by the NDP. In 1989 it took all the seats and was only one seat away from a repeat in 2025.Whatever the circumstances, that cannot be ignored.

So, we begin with congratulations to the persevering new Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday who led his party to electoral triumph. He has had to endure much ridicule from the man he so comprehensively defeated and indeed, his own tenure at the helm of his party may well have been at stake with another defeat. We wish him all the best and urge him to resist pursuing any recriminations. The elections are over and now the future of our country and its people is at stake. Our congratulations also go out to his victorious colleagues.

The feat of again cracking what has been traditionally “Labour strongholds” in the East St. George, South Windward and Marriaqua was most impressive. We urge them all not to let victory go to your heads.

We cannot ignore the defeated opposition ULP and its sometimes controversial leader Dr Gonsalves. It must be a bitter pill to swallow, particularly given the size of the defeat. It cannot be denied that Dr Gonsalves has made an indelible contribution to the political, social and economic development

of our country and whatever his shortcomings, his contribution can neither be ignored nor rubbished. Commendations go out as well, deservedly so, to Supervisor of Elections Mrs.Dora James and her team for conducting a peaceful and incident- free elections.

Though each successive elections reveal the need for some changes in both the framework and conduct of elections, Mrs. James and her team deserve our highest praise. Similarly, the elections themselves were conducted peacefully, and given the sometimes-hostile atmosphere, it is to our collective credit that the elections themselves and the aftermath proceeded with only minor infractions.

The new reality is that we have elected a government, none of whom has been in ministerial office before.

This must be a challenge but if handled correctly, can well turn out to be a boon. That is, provided that the government pursues openness and inclusivity. For our part, even those who voted for the new administration and are not convinced of its ability to cope with the formidable tasks ahead, should nevertheless be prepared to give it a chance, particularly in the difficult opening stages.

The very nature of the global and regional challenges today is itself a mountain with ever-changing terrain to overcome.The inexperience of the government will make these challenges even more formidable. The new administration cannot afford to be influenced by those who insist on pressing ahead with personal agendas at the expense of the public good.

It must be a government for all Vincentians placing our national interests, especially those of our youth and children, above all else.