ULP off and running!

The General Elections race has officially started and the Unity Labour Party (ULP) is off to an aggressive start.

The Party staged its launching at Langley Park last Sunday evening in the North Windward constituency with a mammoth crowd turnout, which Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, leader of the ULP and Prime Minister of St.Vincent and the Grenadines said he estimated at 8, 000.{{more}}

ULP supporters all decked in red came from far and near signaling the General Elections race is really on.

But for the umpteenth time Prime Minister Gonsalves all fired up has reiterated to Party faithful that they might have to prepare for a marathon race.

Dr.Gonsalves sent a warning to the New Democratic Party (NDP) that at the end of this marathon they might be left breathless since he is convinced that there are no Pamenos Ballantynes on their team.

Party diehards shouted chants for the election date but Prime Minister Gonsalves responded emphatically “not tonight comrades, let them sweat”.

And from all indications that have been expressed by the Prime Minister it is unlikely that there will be General Elections in 2005. It appears that the Prime Minister is intent on presenting the Budget before he takes the country to the polls. At the launching he announced that “in another couple months I will announce an increase in NIS pensions and government assistance. Just listen carefully”.

Daniel Cummings, the NDP’s latest candidate to be presented by that Party was the first to come in Dr.Gonsalves firing line.

“They presented a candidate last night with whom the good Lord is not pleased. He has gone and stone God. When you stone a church you have stoned God,” said Dr.Gonsalves as he harped on an incident a few years ago when Cummings fired stones at a church near to his home then went public and stated his reasons for doing so. Dr.Gonsalves said this was responsible for what he said was a poor crowd turn out at the NDP’s launching.

“The good Lord said he who persecute the church persecute Me. Inside the church was the good Lord. Where two and three are gathered He is among us.

“He so boastful and arrogant he called the Commissioner of Police at the time and told Quow ‘I have just stoned the church send the police to lock me up’,” Dr.Gonsalves recalled. He said the Commissioner of Police did nothing because he was involved with the same political Party.

Dr.Gonsalves promised never would the ULP present a candidate that has stoned a church.

“Cummings want to war against all church going persons in SVG,” said Dr.Gonsalves as he warned the NDP that they would lose the General Elections bigger than the last time.

Taking his last dance on the Langley Park stage and making what might have been his last speech in that constituency was Sir Vincent Beach, former leader of the ULP. He promised that he would be back if the Party wants him to address them again.

But before leaving the podium Sir Vincent said maybe the most astute decision he has ever taken was vacating the post of leadership of the ULP to make way for Dr.Gonsalves as leader.

And with a bit of political piccong Sir Vincent said the NDP has a leadership fight in their camp.

“Linton wants to be leader! Leacock wants to be leader from Eustace. Cummings wants to be leader but it is hard for them to defeat Lynch as leader,” said Sir Vincent.

Montgomery Daniel, Area Representative for North Windward, presented a report to Dr.Gonsalves on the activities that he has spearheaded in his constituency during the past four years and a half. Then he used the 26 letters of the alphabet to summarize all that he has ever done.

Throughout the evening all ULP candidates made brief presentations including Senator Glen Beache, son of Sir Vincent Beache who was elected as Area Representative last Saturday to replace his dad on the ULP ticket after defeating Robert Fitzpatrick in a primary.

The large crowd was given another taste of Vincy Mas 2005 when they were entertained by Derrick “Man Sick” Alexander who sang about the Education Revolution in St.Vincent and the Grenadines and Delroy “Fireman Hooper” Hooper who sent the crowd mad with excitement with the popular numbers ‘Madder Than Yo’ and ‘Len Yo Friend’.