Exposing another Unity Labour Party lie

Tue, Oct 18. 2011

1. “He pointed out that there are 139 students at the Canouan Primary School, 18 of whom are in Grade 6 – the Common Entrance class. Gonsalves presented a scenario in which there are 20 Grade 6 students each year for the following five years. He further said that half of these students are likely to go to school in St. Vincent, Bequia, or Union Island, where the government opened a new secondary school last year.”

Already this argument strongly suggests that it is the PM’s party-administration’s view that it is not necessary and, I dare say, not sensible, to have a secondary school on Canouan. Furthermore, the article cited PM’s words thus:

2. “It means that you would have on an average 10 or 12 students going to secondary school in Canouan. So, in five forms, you would have 60 students maximum after five years,” the Prime Minister said.”

3. “He further noted that the government would have to provide specialist teachers for all subjects.”

Again, the case of the difficulty, unfeasibility and insensibility of pursuing Hon. Ollivierre’s expressed desire for a secondary School on Canouan, is clearly made by the PM. He is again cited as saying:

4. “Now, I want to ask the question: should you have all five forms or should you begin with three forms? … It’s easy for persons to talk when they don’t have the responsibility to do anything …” Gonsalves said.”

Here, the reader is confused. Is the PM now suggesting there should be a secondary school, but claiming that it should be done on a part-basis? Yet, he concludes that MP Ollivierre is not intrinsically aware of what is necessary and then insults the honorable parliamentarian by claiming that somehow this is due to some absence of responsibility for ‘anything’ on Ollivierre’s part.

5. “… I happen to know that the bulk of the people of Canouan have common sense, intelligence and that they are grateful. … BUT I AM NOT GOING TO SIT DOWN AND HEAR PEOPLE TALK THINGS, WHERE THEIR UTTERANCES ARE UNREASONABLE IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES,” he continued.”

Here the PM implies that Canouan residents who believe with Hon Ollivierre that they should have a Secondary School do not have “common sense”, “intelligence” and are ungrateful. He also plainly states that the call for a secondary school on Canouan is UNREASONABLE.

What a blatant contradiction of the commitment made in his party’s manifesto last election 2010 to “BUILDING A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN CANOUAN”! His recent position shows:

• He and his party lied for political gain when they promised a secondary school for Canouan.

• He and his party had no intention of ever building a secondary school in Canouan.

• He and his party made an UNREASONABLE promise to Canouan.

• He and his party had no common sense and intelligence when they made a promise of a secondary school to Canouan – an unreasonable promise.

These bold-faced, blatant lies and fake promises by Ralph Gonsalves and the ULP must be exposed and rejected. Since you promised the secondary school, you should give it to the people. Canouan people, hold him accountable! Mr. PM, you should also recant all your disrespectful remarks about the people’s representatives, because your own remarks put you to shame as they expose another of your own ULP LIES.

Anesia O. Baptiste