PM calls on NDP to curb election violence

The slogans painted in yellow in many parts of the country and the pelting with bottles of Unity Labour Party (ULP) supporters in Petit Bordel are signs of desperation by the New Democratic Party (NDP) and its supporters.

This is the view of Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who spoke about these two issues during a rally at the Arnos Vale 2 Playing Field on Saturday night,{{more}} while calling on election violence to stop. The PM also used his time at the podium to criticize several aspects of the NDP campaign.

He stressed that if election violence is not nipped in the bud, it will have very serious consequences for the country and its people.

On Friday night, the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) candidate for North Leeward Carlos James discharged two rounds from his licensed firearm at Petit Bordel after persons dressed in the yellow (the colour of the New Democratic Party (NDP) are alleged to have pelted a ULP hang-out spot with bottles. The bottle pelting is said to have been spurred by an altercation between two opposing party supporters, a male and a female who were involved in a pushing incident.

The Prime Minister described the incident as “thuggery” and stressed that he has observed this behaviour permeating the NDP’s campaign.

The PM said that the NDP’s desperation can also be seen at Sion Hill.

“We see the depths to which they are going also at Sion Hill. Look at the way in which they have nastied up, uglified Sion Hill, as indeed they are uglifying all over the country with a lot of yellow on the walls.”

Gonsalves, the longest serving member of parliament in the country, also said that the NDP is hiring people to hang around and paint and to shout at people offensively, especially ULP supporters, “or to persons who tell them behave themselves.”

“The persons who they are hiring to do this dirty work, they are so foolish that they are turning off right thinking people and right thinking people are saying that if that is the way they are going to campaign, that is the way they are going to govern if you are to make the mistake and put them in office on December 9.”

As a result of the behaviour the Prime Minister says he has observed, he has called on the NDP to curb this type of politics.

“I want to appeal to the leadership of the NDP to exercise some control over this kind of politics, which is not doing anything for the good name of St Vincent and the Grenadines and indeed it is counterproductive to they themselves, but I am concerned most of all about the name of St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He urged persons to exercise control in the days left for campaigning before the December 9 Election Day.