Kinder, gentler PM rebukes colleagues

In a move that showed that there may have been a change of heart since his accident two months ago, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves publicly rebuked members of his Cabinet, for “picking on” a member of the opposition in the House of Parliament.{{more}}

The incident took place last Thursday when parliamentary representative for the Northern Grenadines Dr. Godwin Friday rose to ask a question for oral answer of the Minister of Rural Transformation, Information, the Public Service and Ecclesiastical Affairs Selmon Walters; a question concerning a public reservoir at Cemetery Hill in Bequia.

Minister Walters responded to Dr. Friday that he was unsure as to how to answer the question since he was not the minister, neither was his ministry responsible for the issue.

He further recommended that the opposition member do his research, before entering a question for answer.

As Dr. Friday attempted to respond, he was met by hisses and jeers from a number of members on the government side of the floor.

At this point the Prime Minister interjected, saying that the “teasing” of Dr. Friday was unnecessary.

He calmly added that although the opposition member had directed the question to the wrong minister, Walters could have handled the situation differently; he could have informed Dr. Friday that he was not the minister responsible for the project in question, but could have got the answer for him.

The Prime Minister then recommended that the answer be given to Dr. Friday at a future sitting of the house, to which Dr. Friday responded that he would accept the answer in writing.

The Prime Minister after returning from Cuba where he was recovering from an accident in April, indicated that he had changed some of his ways and was more loving to his rivals.

The Prime Minister’s new attitude does not apply to everything however, since he earlier in the sitting chided the members of the opposition on a number of matters.(JJ)