Eustace believes PM plans to acquire funds in Argentina for airport

Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace believes that Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has gone to Argentina in the hope of acquiring funds to go towards the Argyle international airport.{{more}}

Eustace shared his views yesterday, while speaking on the New Times radio programme.

He stated that Gonsalves must have a “massive travel bill,” because he does not think that any Prime Minister in St Vincent and the Grenadines has travelled as much as the present Prime Minister.

Furthermore, the Opposition Leader said that that he “doesn’t know why he (Gonsalves) has gone to Argentina and I don’t think the people of St Vincent know why he has gone to Argentina.

“I have my views on it, to what I think the reason is,” Eustace said.

“I am of the view, and this is my opinion…that the Prime Minister has gone there to give support to Argentina with the hope of getting some more airport money”.

Eustace referred to a visit made to St Vincent and the Grenadines in February 2012 by members of the Falkland Islands legislature. He said during that visit, the Prime Minister did not meet with the delegation from the Falkands, but he (Eustace) did.

At the time, Gonsalves said he did not meet with the two-member delegation, because they did not have the permission of the Government of Britain to see him, as the Falklands are a colony of the United Kingdom.

The delegation, while here, made a call for neighbouring country, Argentina, to stop claiming sovereignty over their islands. The delegation said 30 years after the British forces won the war for the Falkland Islands, Argentina is still claiming the Falkland Islands.

The Falkland Islands have a population of 3,000 and occupy a land mass the size of Jamaica. They are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located over 250 nautical miles east of the coast of mainland South America. They are self-governing internally and also economically self-sufficient.

The United Kingdom looks after their foreign affairs and defense of the colony.

The delegation made a call for Argentina to leave their country alone.

“We are here … asking people to support our right to self-determination because we should be able to exercise our right and live how we choose,” the delegation member stated.

The delegation member said people may not be aware that after the war, Argentina wrote into their constitution, that the Falkland Islands belong to them.

Gonsalves left the state on Saturday for his official visit to Argentina.

According to a release from communications consultant in the Prime Minister ‘s office, during his visit, Gonsalves will meet with President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Foreign Minister Dr Hector Timerman to discuss a number of mutually agreed on topics, including technical assistance, training, international relations and trade, and education.

Gonsalves and his delegation, which consists of Ambassador to Venezuela Andreas Wickham and security officer Station Sergeant Adrian Francois, are expected to return to the St Vincent and the Grenadines on October 9.(BK)