(Excerpts of Senator Shevern John’s Presentation at the Hope Rally)
The north of our country is a vibrant and bustling community, home to thousands of people who work hard to make a living and raise their families. The people of North Windward and North Central are resilient and resourceful. We have a strong sense of community and work together to overcome challenges and build a brighter future for our children.
In 2020, I first stood for election in North Windward. It was the honour of my life to have the opportunity to put my name forward to represent this wonderful constituency. Over the last three years, I have witness first-hand the extraordinary ability and diversity of our proud communities.
When I was nominated, I said, “I am an educator and I am a community builder from this little village of Owia who practises what the Lord instructs through the preacher Solomon in Ecclesiastes 9:10, ‘Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.’ So whatsoever I put my hands to, I am doing it to the best of my ability to make North Windward work.
Since that time, I have worked tirelessly night and day to help build North Windward up. The annual cricket tournament has become an important part of our summer, whether it has been a road relay, speaking competition, church event, everything I do, everything I say, everything I think, is how can I do more to make our community great.
I stand here proudly as part of the team being led by our leader Dr. Friday to deliver Hope to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Yes, we hear you. We see and know how dismal things are in this country and tonight we declare that Hope is alive and we are the party of Hope for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
One of the most important aspects of life in North Windward is agriculture. The fertile soil and favourable climate make it an ideal place for growing a wide variety of crops, including bananas, coconuts, and arrowroot. Agriculture has been the backbone of the North Windward economy for generations, and it continues to be an important source of income and livelihood for many families. North Windward is also home to a number of small businesses, including restaurants, shops, and craft markets. These businesses provide important services and support to the local community, and they are an important part of the North Windward economy.
But as well as being a wonderful part of the country, we also face significant obstacles to growth. We were at the epicentre of the volcanic eruption whose effects are still being felt today. Infrastructure remains weak and investment lags behind the rest of the country. Our famers and fisherfolk are not supported to build a sustainable sector for themselves. Crime remains rampant and there are too few facilities for our people.
I want to talk directly to the hard-working farmers who are struggling against tremendous odds to keep their farms going and to feed our nation; to the hundreds of ambitious young people who have completed studies and are seeking employment and opportunities for further development; to the business people who are literally struggling to keep their businesses afloat in the face of a faltering economy; to the general population especially the older folks as we struggle with the various infectious and non-communicable diseases that are ravaging our people in the face of the very poor health services currently available at the district clinics and our premier health facilities. I am saying to all of us there is hope under an NDP government.
Farmers, over the years we have become aware of your struggles. We know that you are struggling with the hot dry conditions which seem to be getting worse each year. We know that you are struggling to get the kind of prices you deserve for your produce. We know that you are struggling to purchase fertilizers and other agricultural input necessary to maintain quality production. I want to remind you that it was the NDP that gave you an effective and functioning irrigation system that boosted your production in the past; and I say to you tonight, Hope is alive as an NDP administration will restore the irrigation system.
Let us look at the state of health care in these parts and in the country in general. It is evident that there is an increase in infectious and non-communicable diseases across the country; and this is happening at a time when there is a deterioration in our health services. Why should patients in our hospitals be forced to purchase basic supplies for their treatment? Why should a young woman spend only three days in hospital and then be asked to pay $900? Vincentians, we cannot accept these things as the norm. These things must change! These things will change under an NDP administration.
Throughout these challenges, what makes us great is our sense of community – our willingness to come together to support each other. But, this willingness to come together is not matched by the willingness of our government to step up and be counted. Too often they have simply taken our people and the community for granted, hoping that we don’t notice that they only come around at election time; hoping we don’t notice that they only deliver when pushed to do so; hoping we don’t notice that too often the decision on whether someone receives the support they need, depends on if they have a ULP card.
For that is the measure of this government, they choose to roll out services and investment not on the basis of what we do need, or where it makes the best investment or where it will help the most people. The only measure they care about it what benefits them.