Own the future

BY DR. THE HON. RALPH E. GONSALVES. PRIME MINISTER OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

MY SIMPLE MESSAGE to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the occasion of the 46th anniversary of our country’s reclamation of its independence on October 27, 1979, is: OWNTHE FUTURE!

“Own the Future” in love, in solidarity, in unity and caring, in our collective interests.

Remember always an elemental truth: Of all time, only the future is ours to uplift further, or to desecrate; the present is the past; and the past possesses satisfactions and dissatisfactions, triumphs and defeats, successes and failures. To be sure, we cannot alter the past; we must use the past and the present to uplift ourselves further in the future and avoid its desecration. These are vital considerations always, but especially so at a time when in-the-not-too-distant future, the people will be called upon to exercise the democratic choice in general elections to elect a government to lead us into the future. Elections do have consequences for good or ill. So, do nothing to desecrate the future; do everything to facilitate the uplifting of our future. So, choose wisely; take no risks; take no chances; make no gamble in these challenging times of turmoil around us generated from external forces, amidst our country’s fragilities and vulnerabilities arising from the condition of being a small island developing state.

LEADERSHIP SINCE INDEPENDENCE

Since our country’s reclamation of independence in 1979, the Family of Labour (the SVG Labour Party and the Unity Labour Party) has been in government for nearly 30 years thus far, out of the 46 years of our independence and sovereign control of our governance.

During this period, the Labour administrations under the Founding Father of our nation, Robert Milton Cato (October 1979 to July 1984) and Comrade Ralph Gonsalves (March 2001 to the present time) have, in communion with the people, chalked up impressive achievements in the life, living, and production of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Labour” has constituted the government in almost two-thirds of the years since independence. Almost everything of great value in our country has been built under the leadership of “Labour” in communion with a determined, resilient, and magnificent people.

I have been our country’s Prime Minister nearly 25 years, more than half of our “independence years”, during which time amazing uplifting transformations have occurred to the people’s enduring benefit.

Sir James Mitchell (July 1984 to October 2000), and Arnhim Eustace (October 2000 to March 2001) of the New Democratic Party (NDP), made their contributions, too. Sir James, sadly is no longer in our Earthly City, and cannot aid his successors in the NDP as he did in the previous five elections since 2001. They are on their own; the people will judge them soon, by themselves without any crutch whatsoever.