Vincentians have their say on Russia – Ukraine conflict

Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and has faced widespread international condemnation at an emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly where a majority of members supported a resolution calling for a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and an end to the war.

This is what a sample of citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have to say about the conflict:

Lloyd Small hails from Belmont but originally grew up in Kingstown:

What are your thoughts on the situation concerning Ukraine and Russia?

The differences must be solved by diplomacy and the agreement must be signed finally between both countries along with the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) countries. And in that agreement you must have a covenant saying that no troops from NATO nor any military hardware or software must be stationed in Ukraine and that Russia will not attack Ukraine and Ukraine could be a member but not with any military hardware or software on its soil. And if Ukraine is attacked by Russia or any other country that is not a member of NATO it is the right of NATO to come and defend its member.

Do you think the conflict will have any effects in SVG?

Yeah there are economic effects, because Ukraine and Russia they produce at least one quarter of the world’s corn and wheat, and that would be affected. They also produce a lot of Nickel and Aluminium and they also produce a lot of seaborne steel which is used in shipping and all them sort of things so it will be a great blow to the world’s economy.

Marsha-Ann SassinE is a Seamstress of nine years:

What are your thoughts on the situation concerning Ukraine and Russia?

To be honest I don’t follow international news. I know sooner or later it will impact us indirectly or directly but to say to go out of my way to actually listen and follow it, I have no time.

What about the possibility of World War 3?

God’s in control of that. He knows what will be the outcome of it and to say St Vincent get directly involved say to send people to fight, I don’t see a sense in that. And that’s my opinion with it.

Joniesha Matthews is 26 years old:

What are your thoughts on the situation concerning Ukraine and Russia?

I’m thinking it’s really messed up. I mean just like that out the blue Russia…I don’t even know what to say but it’s really messed up.

What is messed up about it?

What was the whole point of the whole war, why…I don’t get it. It’s like Putin just wake up one day and decide that he wants war. That’s how I see it.

Do you think the situation will affect the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines?

Well it only depends…but I don’t really think it would really have any big effect here. I don’t.

Winston Thomas or ‘Mighty Tumpie’ at the age of 50 years busks on the streets of the capital Kingstown on most days of the week:

What are your thoughts on the situation concerning Ukraine and Russia?

Boy…we living in the last days. The bible tell you the last days going be war. And me hear Russia ah bomb down people in their own street…
It’s the Covid-19 that ha the world wile up right now, Covid-19. You worry about war yes, but is the Covid wey really mashing up people right now.

Do you think the conflict will affect SVG?

Nah that can’t reach down here man. Me nah study bout that…can’t affect we down here. Only if we been get oil from Russia but we don’t get oil from Russia – oil does come from India and Venezuela and Cuba.

Keron Arthur is a 28-year-old Loans officer from Georgetown:

What are your thoughts on the situation concerning Ukraine and Russia?

For me it has two fronts where understandably Russia has security concerns and they are trying to avoid being boxed in, basically, by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Basically the Western world, as we call it. And rightly so, you could understand that security concern. And all they’re basically asking for is to ensure that Ukraine doesn’t go and join the NATO causing them to be boxed in. However the act of war may be a step too far and which we know may have implications on the rest of the world, right? But I can understand Russia’s stance on it…in relation to their security concerns.

Do you think it would possibly start World War Three or any nuclear activity?

Barring any move, or any wrong move I should say, from the likes of NATO and the EU (European Union) and those persons, no I don’t [think]World War three is on the horizon. But when it comes to…the bible has to unfold itself eh? The bible says there will be wars and rumours of wars in the last days. So I don’t think it will start World War 3, this particular event, at least not directly, but maybe sometime down the line there may be a World War 3, maybe in the not too distant future. But I don’t think this in itself will cause it, I think this will settle, and then maybe something else may spark it.