PM: Get your act together!

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has issued a warning to persons in statutory bodies and the public service, to get their acts together when dealing with supporters of the Unity Labour Party (ULP).{{more}}

Speaking at a political rally in Barrouallie on Sunday September 4, the Prime Minister called on these persons to be more professional and honest in their dealings with other Vincentians, and to refrain from using their positions to discriminate against people who they believe are ULP supporters or who come from his North Central Windward constituency.

“By and large, the public servants in this country do a good job; but you have some public servants, they believe that they can use their office to try to sabotage the work of the government and to deal with people in a manner in which people ought not to be treated; they are not dealing with people in a satisfactory manner.”

“I am giving a warning to them as the duly elected leader of this country. I am not cursing you. I am not pulling you down. I am telling you pull up your socks and do not go about believing that because you cannot get Ralph to punish, you could punish somebody who support Ralph.”

The Prime Minster stated that the same goes to statutory bodies.

He used the example of the St. Vincent Electricity Service Ltd. (VINLEC), which he said gets less than satisfactory marks for their attitude to customers and sensitivity.

He gave an illustration where one of his constituents, who owns a restaurant, had her electricity cut off while she was in the hospital. He said that the woman paid the majority of the bill and he contributed the remainder of the outstanding fees.

The Prime Minister suggested that had it not been for a call from one of his security officers to VINLEC’s Chief Executive Officer Thornley Myers, that woman’s electricity would not have been reconnected sooner.

“I raise the issue about the lack of sensitivity; because if somebody in the hospital, and they pay… when they come out, you going to leave their meat to spoil in the deep freeze?

“So you can’t beat the Comrade one way; some fellas down the line trying to see if you could humbug the Comrade another way, but they must know that I have the eyes and ears of the people and because I always listen to the people, people tell me things…. There are a lot of things I could talk about that I see happening in a number of state institutions.”

Dr. Gonsalves noted that he was also against the discrimination of supporters of the New Democratic Party by persons in certain positions who support his administration.

He proclaimed that wherever there was wrong or an insensitivity, it was his duty to correct it, regardless to party affiliation.

“Some of those who doing certain things, I know more than they think I know.

“My message is clear.”(JJ)