Issue of wreaths retrieved from obelisk is petty, trivial – MP

“It simply shows you how petty and simplistic their mind is!”

This was the response from a senior New Democratic Party parliamentarian in relation to being described as “crass” for retrieving wreaths that had been laid at the obelisk on National Heroes Day.{{more}}

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT, NDP vice-president and parliamentary representative for Central Kingstown St Clair Leacock said that he had, indeed, removed some wreaths four days after they had been laid at the Dorsetshire Hill site during a wreath-laying ceremony.

However, he said that he did so only to retrieve the base wire rings from wreaths that his wife’s floral company had provided.

“When the fresh flowers… perish, the rings are discarded, and because of the difficulty to [get] rings of that nature, she simply asked me to go and retrieve the metal rings,” explained Leacock.

“In fact, some of them had been discarded in the garbage dump… so I retrieved them.”

On the Star Issues radio programme, which aired last Tuesday, March 24, Julian Francis, Minister of State within the Ministry of Transport, said that he has the written testimonies from two persons who said they witnessed Leacock removing the wreaths from the obelisk.

“When I spoke to members of staff at the Ministry of Culture, and in particular a senior member, he described it as ‘crass’… What is in this wire or this steel… that is so important that he personally will go to Dorsetshire Hill at the obelisk… and go away with them?” questioned Francis.

“Is there a recycling of wire and wreaths that is taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines?”

Francis said that he found it necessary to bring the matter “to the fore,” so that the public can understand what is going on. He also pondered how the NDP would behave if the party was ever elected to power if this is their conduct as the Opposition.

Leacock contended that instead of focusing on such “petty” matters, Francis should follow his example of being a regular attendee at the wreath-laying ceremony intended to honour SVG’s sole national hero Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer.

“What’s the big story in that? St Vincent not bigger than that? We ought to be bigger than that, so I really wouldn’t give that any more currency.” (JSV)