Criticisms of Foreign Affairs Minister motivated by jealousy – PM Gonsalves

Criticisms of senator, Keisal Peters and her recent appointment as St Vincent and the Grenadines’ first ever female Minister of Foreign Affairs is a case of “green elemental jealousy”.

So said her predecessor, prime minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves who delivered remarks at Peters’ swearing in ceremony last Friday, August 26.
Gonsalves said he had heard some of the comments made by persons, including some women.

“Apparently, their criticism resides in a common matter which has been written repeatedly in the Hebrew Bible and into the New Testament- simple question of green elemental jealousy. I am speaking very openly and frankly,” he said.

“For some reason, they feel that somehow that their class give them a divine right or some inside track to be the first woman to be foreign minister. Well I’m sorry to disappoint you. It is Keisal Melissa Peters.”

Peters had served as Minister of State in the foreign affairs ministry since November, 2020.

Having been promoted as a full fledged minister, Peters,35 years now boasts being the first woman and youngest person to ever hold the portfolio, and the youngest person to be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“This is an indication of the government’s general policy to advance the interest of young people and the interest of women, two groups which historically have been disadvantaged in public policy and in the execution of public policy,” Gonsalves said, while noting that a vast number of women hold significant posts under the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration.

The former foreign affairs minister said he had been observing Peters for quite some time and concluded that she was “the best of an elite group of women” to understudy the prime minister as minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

Gonsalves made reference to her performance in that role for the past year and a half and said he was “satisfied that she has grown in stature, that she deserves to be promoted as full minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of Foreign Trade”.

He added that her Cabinet Colleagues, who hold her in very high regard are also of that view.

The prime minister also alluded to another matter about which he previously spoke publicly in relation to Peters, which he said “had all the hallmarks of gutter politics, nastiness; entirely false”.

“And when I spoke about it, we brought that subject to an end. Of course, there are persons who were the originators of the falsehood who feel I have done a disservice by rebutting the falsehood and because I have spoken about the falsehood, I only gave their lie additional wings,” he said.

This was apparently in reference to a claim of skin bleaching.

He, however, declared this to be “a cock-eyed view of the truth”, stating that “I rebut the falsehood and my rebuttal is known to the world and the fact of the matter is this; I know that my word counts far more than those who seek to tarnish the good name of Keisal Melissa Peters”.