According to the Leader of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, the greatest problem SVG has had since its independence is a significant lack of visionary leadership.
Whilst we have made some progress, there are still so many things wrong in our country. Even after over 40 year Etc eas of independence, SVG still has a high level of poverty. Throughout the country, there are thousands of households that cannot afford to have mains water or electricity. Begging is prevalent in Kingstown.
Our food security is much worse than 40 years ago. We import so much more food than 40 years ago and are less self-sufficient in terms of food production. Also, it’s only been in the last few years that SVG has become a food aid country. We are now dependent on food aid to feed some of our people.
Poverty and food security are only two of the many issues that SVG’s leaders have failed to deal with since independence. Leaders have lacked the vision to look ahead, plan and resolve these persistent problems in SVG.
SVG still has a high level of unemployment and this is truly astonishing, given that we have had over 40 years since independence to create mass employment for our people. Generations of Vincentians have been failed by government after government. We have the resources to create mass employment, but have lacked visionary leaders to create and sustain it.
The failure to create a world-class education system for the children of SVG, has been one of the major factors that has led to decade after decade of high levels of unemployment and poverty. The children of SVG have been failed by leaders who did not have the vision to see the value of giving them a world-class education from pre-school to university.
Failure to give all our children a university education has meant that they’ve been denied the opportunity of getting highly-paid jobs all over the world, and denied the opportunity of earning very high salaries and having a very high standard of living.
The journey taken by SVG since independence, and especially under the ULP regime – has been nothing short of a remarkable level of incompetence and poor leadership. There are so many more and bigger challenges confronting our people and country, because of the poor leadership that has led to the acute vulnerabilities to which we are exposed.
SVG needs a significant economic transformation and a decisive, visionary leader with a clear development agenda to do that. Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (hons), MSc, MBA is the person needed to take SVG forward. He is best suited to bring prosperity to SVG.
Many businesses in SVG have complained to Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, about the weak economy affecting their businesses. They know that Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA is a progressive leader who has the ability to deliver economic results. SVG needs a buoyant economy in which businesses can get sales and flourish. This can only be achieved with visionary leadership.