Criticize, but don’t defame: Prime Minister Gonsalves

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, says that he does not mind who criticizes him in calypsos or any other forum because St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is a democracy.

However, the Prime Minister says there is a difference between criticism and defamation.

“I don’t worry about that (criticism)…is when you go from criticism to defamation and vulgar abuse… you’re going outside the law.

“Now, you could criticize me without vulgarly abusing me. You could criticize me without defaming me,” Dr. Gonsalves said on NBC Radio’s Morning Cup programme on Wednesday, June 4, 2024.

He said that there are calypsonians who push the rhetoric that St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is a corrupt nation and he (Dr. Gonsalves) is involved in corruption and confusion.

“…to say I’m involved in confusion…that’s not defamation, but if you say I’m corrupt, that’s defamation. It’s false, it’s not true, and that reduces my esteem and character and reputation in the eyes of right-thinking people,” Dr. Gonsalves said.

Over the years, several calypsos have been banned due to problems of defamation. Calypsonians are currently in preparation for the 2025 VincyMas, and a poke at government and its leader/s always find expression in their compositions.