St Claire Leacock, Parliamentary representative for Central Kingstown, is of the view that Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves’ absence from this year’s Independence celebrations was a sign of disrespect.{{more}}

Leacock made the comment while speaking at the New Democratic Party’s rally at Sion Hill last Thursday.

“Every prime minister, every president, every who is who, comes to represent their people on that day called Independence…whatever happens you put it aside and they stand shoulder to shoulder with the people with pride and dignity,” Leacock said.

“Not here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves – the anti-colonialist, the anti-imperialist, the anti-capitalist found himself in Qatar, the capitalist capital of the world, begging for his supper and leaving an abandoned people in a hopeless country under a helpless deputy leader Girlyn Miguel,” he continued.

The prime minister had announced that he would be out of the country on Independence Day for the first time since taking office, as he was scheduled to attend the World Energy Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and was forced to deliver a televised independence address.

“I regret very much that I have to do that, but the circumstances are such that for me to do the business which I have arranged to be done in the Middle East,” the prime minister announced during a press briefing.

While there, the prime minister was scheduled to have met with a number of officials, including the Emirs of Qatar and Kuwait.

This was keeping with the country’s mandate to open up and strengthen relations with countries in the Middle East. (DD)