Sir Louis says Opposition Leader on wrong course

Sir Louis Straker has described as gullible and illiterate anyone who would support Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace (photo below) in his threatened boycott of the constitutional review process.

“I can’t understand who is advising the Leader of the Opposition… no sensible person is advising him, he is on the wrong course,” said Sir Louis at a press conference on Tuesday, July 31.{{more}}

Sir Louis was adding his voice to the disappointment expressed by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves over a letter sent to him (Dr Gonsalves) by Eustace last Friday.

Eustace raised four issues in connection with the 2005 General Elections and called on the Prime Minister to address the issues otherwise the Opposition would boycott the ongoing constitution review process.

The legislators are due to meet in a select committee of the whole house on August 16, to begin the fine tuning of the recommendations submitted by the Constitution Review Commission, which were recently debated in parliament.



Sir Louis took objection to the reference made to the need for good governance in Eustace’s letter.

“Every person knows that when it comes to good governance, we in the Unity Labour Party will take lecture from no one,” Sir Louis said.

Sir Louis referred to the NDP administration’s failed bid to get debt forgiveness from the United Kingdom in 1999.

He said the United Kingdom cited the lack of good governance, official corruption and poor poverty alleviation strategies as the reason for the refusal.

He boasted that by 2002, his ULP administration had secured the EC$12 million debt forgiveness.

He further cited the ULP’s decision to have parliament broadcast live, the publication of major bills coming to parliament in the print media, the Prime Minister’s town hall meetings to discuss the budget estimates before the budget presentation and the formation of NESDEC as proof of the government’s commitment to good governance.

“For years the NDP has stood against good governance,” Sir Louis said.

As he continued his attack on Eustace, Sir Louis quoted various statements made by him (Eustace) in parliament in support of the constitutional review process.

He said that Eustace would find that whatever political strategy he is pulling would backfire, “He would find that he has overplayed his hand,” an animated Sir Louis said. (KJ)