Leacock calls for development action

New Democratic Party vice-president and Central Kingstown representative St Clair Leacock is calling for an examination into the concept of economic planning and the governance feature.

“The Constitution anticipated that you will have 15 elections in 15 constituencies and those representatives will be responsible for those geographic areas; there must be no confusion in the mind for that,” Leacock stated, while at a town hall meeting in Layou last Saturday.{{more}}

“To the extent that…the Constitution demands the respect of constituency, so that representatives can deliver promises on the contracts they held with you during the elections.”

He went on to say that the 15 constituencies will be in the same position in December as they were in January after this year’s budget passing.

“There is no relationship between the budget and the development at the constituency level,” Leacock said.

“I am helpless and hapless, as a representative, to do anything about that,” he noted.

He stated that the government structure should be looked at, as well as the bigger picture of what is happening here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“The people of Central Kingstown put me in a position to improve the law and their lives and they haven’t asked me to delegate that down to somebody else and to take instructions from my Prime Minister, whoever that person is. But it is not my job as a parliamentary representative to sit and listen to a permanent secretary or public servant determine what my people should have,” an ardent Leacock told supporters.

Additionally, he pointed out that it is he who should indicate what his constituents should have.

“My constituency development starts with me and my people…and I am not to sublet that or delegate that…to anyone. Whenever I do that I should leave and demit office….my first job is as a representative of the people who have put me there.” (CM)