Editor: Please permit me space in your newspaper to publicly respond to Mr Eustace’s call for members of the civil society to speak out on the matter relating to our recent General Elections of December 9, 2015 in the form of an open letter.

Madam Editor, as a religious leader in St Vincent and the Grenadines for in excess of four decades, I am extremely concerned with the recent developments related to the elections of December 9, 2015, and after prayerful consideration, I feel compelled to comment publicly on the issue.

I saw and heard you, Mr Eustace, take the oath of office and swear to perform duties according to law, so help me God.

I saw and heard Mr Eustace via the TV news of 6/1/2016 speaking about the activists and supporters of the NDP physically blocking the street, preventing persons from going about their lawful business and refusing to obey the instructions of the law enforcement officers, namely the police. Mr Eustace, I heard you saying “they are not moving”. Mr Eustace is that what you call performing your duties as Leader of the Opposition according to the law, and is God helping you and the few people around you to do what you are doing?

Mr Eustace, you said that you are not accepting the results of the election of December 9 2015 because the election was stolen from you. The question I ask, is it your belief or is it a statement of fact? If it is indeed your belief, then anybody can believe anything they want.

But what do the rest of the country, the region, and the world know as a fact is that the election was free and fair. That is reflected in the reports of the Christian Council, CARICOM, the Commonwealth, and the OAS.

Now Mr Eustace, you are often referred to as Mr Clean and the champion of a kinder and gentler society. Mr Eustace what is clean and gentler of your conduct, which in my opinion is a blatant disregard for law and order. If, indeed, you honestly believe that the election was stolen, how is the conduct of you and the few supporters outside of the electoral office going to make you recover what was stolen from you. If indeed you have reason to believe the election was stolen, then there is a process, the court of law. In the name of God let common sense and good judgment prevail. You have filed two petitions, which is the proper thing to do; why are you going down the road of disturbing the peace?

I suggest to you to call off the so-called protest, which really amounts to nothing less than lawlessness and a total disregard for law and order.

You are obviously a religious person and ought to be familiar with the Beatitudes documented in Matt 5:9: Blessed are the peace makers. You have applied to the third umpire. For heaven’s sake, your sake and the nation’s sake, wait for the decision.

As a responsible citizen of St Vincent and the Grenadines, I must condemn your action in the strongest possible terms and call on you to do the honourable thing and desist from further protest action that can only lead to destabilizing and tarnishing the good name of this blessed land of ours.

Rev Amos A Dennie