Vincentians should not take too seriously comments made by former Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell to Senator St. Clair Leacock.{{more}}

This, according to Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace, as he responded to comments made by Sir James on October 17 at a ‘Vote No’ rally hosted by the New Democratic Party.

At that rally, the founder of the New Democratic Party (NDP) said that nobody should touch the constitution. He also went a step further and told Opposition Senator St. Clair Leacock “…if you get into Parliament and think you are going to interfere with the constitution we have here, I am coming to deal with you, too!”

This, after Leacock, in his presentation to the House of Assembly during the debate on September 3, said that there were “significant improvements” in the proposed new constitution.

“I am surprised,” Eustace told SEARCHLIGHT, saying that he was amazed at how much attention the comment had gotten within recent times.

“He (Sir James) was laughing; We didn’t take it as serious,” he added.

The Opposition Leader went on to say that Sir James also made another comment, which he did not wish to disclose, noting that both comments were made “in jest.”

When contacted, Senator Leacock said that he was not commenting on the statements, saying that he was not going to go into a debate with Sir James.

Eustace also cleared the air on any suggestion that there were any differences over the issue of constitutional reform between the NDP and Sir James. “I am not worried about these things. These things don’t bother me,” he asserted.

“Sir James is not against reform, but what we have is not constitutional reform,” Eustace said. He contends that there are one or two areas where there are differences of opinions, one according to Eustace is the issue of the Privy Council.

“He has a right as an individual,” he said.

“We are not a party with a one man view,” he added. (DD)