ULP launches 2025 manifesto – A contract with the people

The Unity Labour Party (ULP), launched its 2025 general elections manifesto on Sunday night, November 16, 2025, at a massive rally at the Irvin Warrican Playing Field at Colonaire.

“In this document lies our plans, lies your hopes, lies the dreams and lies the aspirations of our people, and when we present this to you, you will know that this is a contract between you and the new government of the ULP for 2025 -2030,”party chairman, Edwin Snagg told the massive crowd.

The 107-page glossy publication is divided into 28 sections, dealing with a number of socio-economic developmental issues that tourism minister, Carlos James said “is not just a manifesto. It’s a framework of ideas, strategic thinking and vision, cohesive policy, and of course, a people -centered approach to our development with you, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, at the center of what we do when we say labour is working”.

Speaking on the tourism aspects of the document just ahead of its unveiling, he said: “This manifesto is our contract with you. It outlines our vision into the next term. but it doesn’t end here because our leader has indicated to you, we are developing a national social and economic development plan that will take us into the next decade, showing you a road map for growth, the road map for prosperity, where we are going to create opportunities for you, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. One thing is clear, is that you have a government that has vision, leadership, and a clear developmental path and an agenda as to the way forward.”

Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, giving a summary of the provisions in the document said: “We believe that it is important to present our ideas, our vision, our compelling developmental narrative, our policies and programmes for the next five years, but within a framework of taking us to a first world nation status by the year 2040”.

He commented that the New Democratic Party (NDP), scoffs whenever the ULP does something ambitious and went on to note that there are major differences between the ULP and the NDP.

“First of all, they have no ideas, no vision, no policies, no plans, nothing at all. So what they have been trying is gimmicks; But gimmicks do not a plan make; gimmicks do not a vision make; gimmicks do not a policy make, gimmicks do not a programme make,” he pointed out.

“ We have taken this country from a very low level of development in 2001, beset with large problems, and over the last 25 years, we have transformed this country for the better by far. We have put ourselves on a base, on a foundation, a dynamic foundation to build a first world nation.”

He spoke of advances in such areas as housing, sanitation and other services, infrastructure, education, the transportation sector, and the reduction in unemployment from over 20% in 2001 to below nine percent at present, with the projection to see it further reduced to under five percent.

“Young people are starring in this manifesto because in every single area of development, young people are the ones who have to drive this development. They have to get the experience and the wisdom and the judgment from older folks, but they are the ones who will have to drive it …we have to give them, having trained them, having educated them, we have to let them fly with their wings unclipped and help to take us to a first world nation, including with applied science and technology. I’m giving you the summation, and the applied science and technology includes artificial intelligence, which would enlarge the space of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Dr. Gonsalves added.

“Our plan to give young people the skills and opportunities they need. Our plan to honour the elderly and secure their golden years. Our plan to ensure gender equality and opportunity. Our plan to accelerate massive urban renewal in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Our plan to make the Grenadines more resilient, dynamic, and connected, and our plan to enhance good governance and transformative policymaking. One of the reasons why the Unity Labour Party never has any confusion is because…our government sings from the same song sheet.”

He told the crowd that the ULP will retain 500 copies of the manifesto, because following the party’s victory on November 27, 2025, the plan is to “give every senior public servant one of these so they know what is driving us for the next five years”.

The ULP will launch its Youth Manifesto at a rally at the Richmond Hill Playing Field on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.

(Readers may peruse the ULP manifesto on Searchlight’s Website: ULP Manifesto)