Oakes: No cost attached

United Kingdom firm Strategic Communications Laboratories (SCL) is working with the No Vote campaign because they believe the referendum process is undemocratic.{{more}}

SCL Chief Executive Officer Nigel Oakes told SEARCHLIGHT this was one of the motivating factors why his organization joined forces with the New Democratic Party (NDP).

“We believe this is not a democratic process,” said Oakes to SEARCHLIGHT in an exclusive interview from his London base last Tuesday afternoon.

“We have a number of concerns with the Referendum process. We believe that with any referendum, the people should be fully informed about what they are entitled to vote for. We believe the education process has not fully gone ahead to the people,” said Oakes.

Oakes’ criticism comes against the backdrop of several concerns and questions raised by Prime Minister Dr.Ralph Gonsalves on Monday in relation to the work the firm is doing with the NDP on the ‘No Vote’ campaign.

Gonsalves sharply criticised the NDP’s decision to recruit the British firm at a time when the country is seeking to remove the British Monarchical System and Privy Council. The prime minister asked questions about organizations affiliated to SCL and SCL’s real motivation for teaming up with the NDP.

He questioned whether SCL or the NDP was being financed by Henley and Partners, a company that sells citizenships. He also used the opportunity to call for transparency with regard to the financing of the ‘No’ campaign since the source of funding for the ‘Yes’ campaign is public.

Oakes told SEARCHLIGHT his organization has chosen to support the NDP because it is closely affiliated to Sir James Mitchell, founder of the NDP. He confirmed that Sir James is an advisor to his organization and over a 12-year period, he had developed “tremendous” respect for Sir James.

At the moment SCL’s representatives are on the ground working with the NDP.

Oakes disclosed that his organization’s support to the NDP on the referendum has no cost attached to it.

“It’s completely free of charge,” said Oakes.

The CEO opined that with any referendum, the people should be informed about what they are expected to vote for.

The Government’s “Yes vote” team has, however, noted that the education process on the constitution spanned a period of six years, during which a series of town hall meetings and other public relations sensitization programmes were held at home and abroad.

Oakes, however, shared the view “the education process has not fully gone to the people”. He said if people knew the real facts there is no way they will vote for the proposed constitution.

Responding directly to Gonsalves’ criticism of SCL, Oakes said: “I appreciate why Dr. Gonsalves is trying to portray foreigners like us at Strategic Communications in a bad light…He has a job to do.”

“We just want to go on public record (that) there is no experimenting with people. We are just here to help with the democratic process,” said Oakes.

He said SCL had worked with the NDP on a previous election and the party had won.

“Other times we’ve been asked not to work with the party, that was specifically [by] Arnhim Eustace,” said Oakes.

He said his organization is not asking Vincentians to vote the NDP in. Likewise, it is “not asking them to vote Dr. Gonsalves back”.

“We are asking them to say no to a referendum until they understand more about it,” said Oakes.

“What I want is for the people of SVG to be fully informed so that they can choose the best decision for themselves,” said Oakes.

“We are not pushing anything. We are not saying that you must do this or you must do that. All we are saying “don’t vote for something until you are fully aware of what you are voting for. That’s all we are saying.”