Dr Friday pledges to do his best

Dr Godwin Friday, this country’s new Leader of the Opposition, intends to put all his effort into his new role and serve the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines as best as he can.

A lawyer by profession, Friday, officially became this country’s Opposition Leader yesterday, after his predecessor, Arnhim Eustace, stepped down from the post he had held since April 2001.

Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne was informed last Thursday evening that Friday would take over from Eustace, after Friday received the support of the majority of elected opposition members in a vote carried out last Thursday.{{more}}

“In our letter to the Governor General last week, I indicated that I would step down as Leader of the Opposition, today Monday. So, that is now in place and Dr Friday is the new Leader of the Opposition as from today,” Eustace said yesterday on the New Times programme on Nice Radio.

Friday, calling into the programme, thanked Eustace for his contribution to the country and for supporting him in his new role.

“I am humbled and really… the responsibly is a great one and I look forward to serving the people of this country as best I can. I certainly will put all of my effort into it and I know and I am very grateful for your support, sir for saying that you will be there…”

Promising to provide “vigorous opposition” on behalf of the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Friday encouraged the people to rally together to understand the importance of the politics of this country and the roles that everyone has to play. He said Eustace had set a very high standard in terms of the quality of public service that he provided to the country.

Addressing Eustace, Friday said: “For me personally, a very, very big thank you, to you, for the support and guidance that you have given to me when I was a junior member in the Parliament, sitting there and listening to your advice and coming along and being able at this stage now to assume the role of Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“It is a big responsibility I know it, I see it close up from working with you, but I will give it my very best, and I believe that I am up to the task and I am glad that my colleagues have shown the confidence in me. Now, we will convince the people of SVG that their confidence is well placed and provide the representation that they deserve and expect….”

The new Leader of the Opposition will make a brief statement about the way forward for the New Democratic Party (NDP) at Democrat House at Murray’s Road, tomorrow Wednesday at 11 a.m., following which he will take questions from the media.

Friday, from the Grenadine island of Bequia, has been the Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines since April 2001, having succeeded Sir James Mitchell as the NDP candidate in the general election of that year.

The new Opposition Leader holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of Waterloo; a Masters degree in History from the University of Waterloo; a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University and a Doctorate in Political Studies from Queen’s University. He is married with two teenage sons.