NDP criticizes PM for taking young politicians on Latin America trip

Opposition Senator Daniel Cummings has publicly criticized Prime Minister Dr.Ralph Gonsalves for taking young politicians Senator Michelle Fife and Rhodes Scholar Luke Browne on his recent state visits to Latin America.{{more}}

Cummings, who may very well face Fife in West Kingstown in the upcoming General Elections, expressed his dissatisfaction with this last Saturday evening, where he had gone to support his colleague Burton Williams at a New Democratic Party (NDP) rally at Bonhomme in the constituency of South Windward.

The NDP spokesman on Health is irate that the prime minister has taken Browne and Fife, who he considers to be inexperienced, on these trips at a time when the country has not paid its bills to the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Services.

“Do you know that up to today they have not paid their bills to the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Services?…How they go pay their bills when Ralph Gonsalves taking Tom, Dick, Mary and Jane and running all over the place?

“Look at who he took with him on his recent trip. Tell me, how does Michelle Fife contribute to that? How does Luke Browne contribute to that? How does Eloise Gonsalves contribute to that? At a time when you can’t buy medicine in the hospital, he running all over the country gallivanting,” said Cummings.

Prime Minister Gonsalves is currently on a series of state visits to Latin America.

His visits will take him to Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, and to Spain.

The Prime Minister left the state on Sunday, April 18, and headed a delegation that attended the ALBA meeting in Caracas.

He was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andreas Wickham, and Luke Browne, who will challenge Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace in East Kingstown.

Last Sunday, April 25, Gonsalves led a five-member delegation on a three-day official visit to Brazil. The other members of the delegation were his wife Eloise Gonsalves, Senator Michelle Fife, Budget Director Edmund Jackson, and Permanent Secretary Andreas Wickham.

Cummings stated that Gonsalves will grind St.Vincent and the Grenadines in the dust. (HN)