Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has said the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is more right-wing than the Tea Party Movement in the United States.{{more}}

The Tea Party advocates strict adherence to the US Constitution, reducing US government spending and taxes, and reduction of the US national debt and federal budget deficit, says Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia.

The group, however, describes itself as a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue that challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of the United States.

The Tea Party has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009 and is often associated with the Republican Party.

Gonsalves said the NDP march on Thursday from its headquarters in Kingstown to Sion Hill, where a rally was held, “turned out to be a mini march and a rally of no consequence, both in terms of size and substance.

“What I called in advance, a wake without cocoa tea,” he added.

“And as Frank Da Silva is every single week now holding them to account with the lies and untruths and innuendos and their misrepresentations and falsehoods,” he said in reference to the NDP member whose letters, critical of the NDP, have appeared in SEARCHLIGHT.

“They are really the Tea Party of St Vincent and the Grenadines. They are to the right of the Republican Party. They are reckless,” the prime minister further said.

Gonsalves further noted that the march and rally were also in support of NICE Radio.

The station, which broadcasts the opposition’s programmes, is at risk of closing because of damages the court awarded Gonsalves in a lawsuit he brought against the station and former NDP talk show host Elwardo “E.G.” Lynch.

“One of the reasons for the march was because Ralph, as they put it, wants blood money from NICE Radio.

“I was going about my business; Lynch went on NICE Radio, though he had the documents in his hands, he went nevertheless falsely to say that I took my mother and my daughter to Rome with taxpayers money and misbehaved in public office accordingly, when I paid for my mother and I paid for my daughter.

“… So, now when people say, when the NDP say on their radio that it is blood money, 30 pieces of silver, Judas, I want to ask the question: Judas betrayed Christ; who have I betrayed?

“Is Dougie De Freitas God?” Gonsalves said in reference to the station’s owner and manager.

“I was about my business you know. Is Lynch who defamed me on Dougie radio station,” he further said, adding, “And none of them want to take responsibility and even now there is the judgement, they continuing. They show no humility, they show no contrition, they calling it blood money.

“… I forgive, but that doesn’t mean that you who want forgiveness mustn’t first of all have to be contrite, to say you are sorry and to make recompense.

“Forgiveness doesn’t mean sweeping something under the carpet, you know. It means the person who does the wronging, in this case Lynch and Dougie radio station, is to say that they are sorry and to say so … many times and genuinely and to reform their behaviour in relation to this matter and to pay appropriate recompense,” the prime minister further said.

Gonsalves further reiterated that he has nothing against De Freitas or Lynch.

“All I want is the fruits of my judgement, so that I could give it to the charity or charities of my choice,” he further said. (kentonchance@searchlight.vc)