Lesson from South Rivers woman helped shape Education policy in SVG – PM

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said years ago, while in opposition, he visited a woman from Pasture in South Rivers, and during that visit, what he learnt help to shape this country’s education policy under the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration.

This lesson came to the fore last year after Hurricane Beryl’s devastation when two professionals in the Ministry of Finance suggested that the government should cut back on the amount of money being spent on education.

Speaking on NBC’s Morning Cup programme on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, Dr Gonsalves said he rejected the suggestion from Director General of Finance and Planning, Edmond Jackson, and Budget Director Kenrick Morris, whom he described as “excellent professionals. He said that decision was a demonstration of the government’s commitment to educating Vincentians.

He explained that Jackson and Morris were preparing the 2025 Estimates and they approached the Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves, with the suggested cuts to the education budget which stood at around EC$45 million.

“…when they went to Camillo, as I learned, Camillo told them, ‘you want me to… go to the Prime Minister to ask him to cut from his sacred cow? Go yourself’… so, they came… I listened to them…,” the PM said, while noting that the suggestion was made just after Hurricane Beryl had caused millions of dollars in damage to the country.

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