NDP election fraud claims ‘absolute rubbish’ – Dr Ralph Gonsalves

“Absolute rubbish” is how Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has described claims by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) that his Unity Labour Party (ULP) won the December 9 General Elections by fraudulent means.{{more}}

“…when the dust is settled, all right – thinking persons will see that that allegation is absolute rubbish,” Gonsalves told Tony Regisford during an interview on IKTV’s ‘Unrendered’ programme on Sunday morning.

The Prime Minister said that it is nearly impossible to steal an election in St Vincent and the Grenadines, because of the way the elections are conducted, with agents on both sides scrutinizing the entire process.

“…You have an independent officer, the supervisor of elections; the list is published in advance, everybody knows the list; you go, there is a transparent process,” said Gonsalves, who added that there is an initial count, then a final count, all of which are witnessed by members of both parties.

Gonsalves said that it is impossible for anybody to compromise the integrity of the process and while a person may make an error in transposing a number, that does not affect the validity of the votes.

The Prime Minister said that every day over the past week, the opposition gave entirely different stories about how it is alleged the ULP stole the elections and none of the stories add up. He said that the story of 100 per cent of voters and a missing ballot box have been proven to be lies and so too has the accusation that ballot boxes were not properly sealed.

“There is no election in the world without a glitch,” stressed Gonsalves, who noted that these glitches usually amount to nothing.

Gonsalves also described Eustace as being delusional and stated: “The ULP has won the election free and fair. The NDP supporters know what I am saying, but a section of the NDP leadership wants to go on with this charade and they want to be delusional, they can go ahead.”

The newly sworn in prime minister said that persons must be mature in general elections and winners must not be triumphalist, but mature, while losers must accept loss and look forward to improving their situation the next time around.

He said that the NDP has taken an immature stance that the minority must run the country and that is not possible.(LC)