No election over-time for PM

PRIME MINISTER Dr Ralph Gonsalves has made it clear that general elections will be held this year, 2025, noting that he does not intend to use the three-month grace period afforded by election law.

“I have a five-year mandate… and the parliament first met, after the last general elections… on the 30th of November… and there’s three months after the 30th of November,” the Prime Minister said at a recent Cabinet Room press conference.

“…well, you know my position about going into extra time…,” he remarked. Dr Gonsalves said he is confident that his Unity Labour Party (ULP) will secure a sixth consecutive term and given this, plans are already underway for further development by the government into 2026 and beyond.

“I haven’t come to the end of my five-year term yet…,” Dr Gonsalves pointed out. “There’s this mistake, notion, that when I was elected in 2020 that somehow, my mandate finishes at the end of 2024 and in 2025, I must just coast and float… but I’m fulfilling my mandate, and that’s why you see, we’re creating all the jobs, we’re creating and doing all the developments….”