Eustace: Speak out before it’s too late

“I again call on Prime Minister Gonsalves to remove the yoke from around the necks of our people, you are killing them.”

Those are the words of Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace, when for 23 minutes on Wednesday night, in a television broadcast; he addressed four issues, and questioned the compassion of Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves.{{more}}

Eustace first hinted at what he sees as a disparity between recent statements made by Deputy Commissioner of Police Bertram Pompey and Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves on the issue of polygraph testing in the police force.

In what is now known as the “Beach Affair”, radio host Elwardo Lynch alleged that Senator Julian Francis, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lenroy Brewster and an individual known as “Que Pasa” were seen by members of the Rapid Response Unit (Black Squad) on a beach early one morning.

Lynch contended that efforts were made to have the officers who were on the beach take lie detector tests to ascertain who gave him (Lynch) information about the alleged beach meeting. He further said that the police officers, because they refused to take the tests, were transferred.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Bertram Pompey however said that that the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force does not own a polygraph machine nor posses the capacity to operate one.

Eustace played two voice clips during the broadcast, in which Dr Ralph Gonsalves indicated that polygraph testing had been done on police officers.

Eustace also questioned why Pompey did not deal directly with the question of the alleged beach meeting.

“By not mentioning the name of these three men, the impression is therefore given, that there is something suspicious about the entire affair,’ Eustace said.

Secondly, Eustace again voiced his objection to the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) was introduced and called on the Government to remove VAT from more items.

Eustace said that inflation is up significantly and with Government standing to collect about $100 million more in taxes due to VAT by 2010; it is no wonder why people are suffering so much.

He suggested that the Unity Labour Party (ULP) government would cut VAT from some items by 2010, as part of an election strategy, but called on Vincentians not to be fooled by such a move.

Thirdly, Eustace also condemned the move to place VAT on electricity and questioned the way VINLEC proportions the fuel charges.

He said that while VINLEC pays 6.6 per cent of the fuel consumption charges, consumers are left with the remaining 93.4 per cent.

“The figures for September 2007 show that VINLEC is paying $3,955,000 in fuel. VINLEC is only meeting the cost of $266,122 out of that $3.9 million,” Eustace said.

And fourthly, he was also critical of the recently announced increase in water rates, set to take effect from October 01st.

Eustace said that between 1998 and 2001, when his New Democratic Party was in power, the Central Water and Sewerge Authority (CWSA) made significant profits, passing a million dollars, each year.

He said that since then, the company has not been able to pass half a million dollars in profit, and the increase has been placed on consumers to enable it (CWSA) to so do.

“I say to the Vincentian people, I feel your pain and anger, I urge you to speak out before it is too late. The New Democratic Party stands ready to put an end to your suffering, we have analyzed the problems, give us the opportunity to solve them,” Eustace pleaded. (KJ)