Let’s look at pace and let’s do so in the context of setting the pace. And in doing so let’s take into account the current political atmosphere in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Britannica Dictionary defines pace as “an example to be emulated. It goes on to state that “to set the pace is to “be the one that is at the front in a race and that controls how fast the other racers have to go.”
The Oxford Dictionary further states that to set the pace is “to do something at a particular speed or to a particular standard so that other people are then forced to copy it if they want to be successful.”
Those definitions are self-explanatory, however, it’s worth noting that one who sets the pace sets the example to be emulated or copied by others. The one that sets the pace is the one that determines what others do. And the one that sets the pace is the one that sets the standard that others feel forced to copy.
With the political atmosphere heating up in St Vincent and the Grenadines, those of us here on A View From The Outside have observed that the New Democratic Party (the NDP) has been the party to set the pace in the country.
To use a cricketing analogy, the NDP and its leader Dr Godwin Friday, have come out on the front foot. The NDP has set the pace and they have set the standard. And by doing so, they have the ruling Unity Labour Party (the ULP) and its leader scrambling to try to catch up. Yes, the NDP wasted no time in getting their candidates in each of the 15 constituencies in place,
By contrast the ULP laboured (pun intended) to scrape a team together. It took them many months (after the Dr Friday put his complete team together) to put their team, of sorts, together.
Once Dr Friday had his team together, he and the rest of the NDP team wasted no time in traversing and criss-crossing the country spreading the message of their party – one of hope, rebuilding, and prosperity.
It is said that the ULP and their leader cannot be the future of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Because they have been in power for almost twenty-five years, and that their performance is found woefully wanting. It is said that they cannot run on their record. A record which includes: Record crimes – including record murders and increasing abuse and violence against women and girls; Record unemployment (particularly youth unemployment with stands at over 50%); Increase in poverty, in fact extreme poverty; Poor health care where only those well connected are flown out for better health care while most Vincentians are forced to accept and make do with what the ULP government provides; Poor upkeep of government infrastructure, where police stations and clinics around the country are falling apart. School buildings are in disrepair – some are infested with fleas and termites and constantly in want of basic supplies such as toilet paper; The roads are in disrepair; They only offer road work twice per year except in an election year they offer a bit more – and even so workers have to wait weeks and sometimes months to get their money.
Their record also includes confiscating the property of citizens and failing to compensate them adequately or at all; targeting and abusing those who challenge them. They squeeze them so that, as their leader said, they “must come back to papa;” getting citizens to become complicit to aid and abet them in wrongdoing, and then they muzzle them with threats, public humiliation, and therefore forcing them into silence where they cower and retreat; hundreds of public servants whom they fired because of the draconian covid 19 vaccine mandate which they implemented. Many of these fired workers have been left completely devastated, mentally distressed, some penniless and trying to eke out a living. The devastation of the covid 19 draconian vaccine mandate also affect those workers who felt forced to take the vaccine, many of whom are left traumatised and continue to suffer the consequences every day. Yes, the ULP’s record includes the hole which they have left in the economy when they fired these workers. The spending power of these workers is now gone. They are no longer able to support local businesses (your local shop) because the ULP deprived and robbed them of their income. Their record includes squeezing you (the Vincentian people)) and taking away your independence and at election time give the appearance, in fact pretending, that they have come to rescue you. Giving away lumber, cement and galvanise. They are now promising fridge, stove and washing machine. They do this to try to get you to vote for them and then the cycle will continue. They will abuse and victimise you. Vincentians, they have form. They have shown that that is what they do. They did it 2005. They did it in 2010. They did it in 2020. And they are doing it again! Don’t let them succeed!
Having set the pace, Dr Friday held a press conference on Wednesday the 01/10/2025. He announced, to the Vincentian people and the rest of the world, four pledges which he said (once elected into government by the Vincentian electorate) they will implement in the first 60 days of being in office. He encouraged the electorate to “vote NDP and in our first 60 days we will do what the ULP hasn’t done in 25 years. Immediately helping you and everyone in SVG.”
He went on to pledge: (i) That the NDP will cut VAT and that there will be a slash in prices on everyday goods and electricity. (ii) The NDP will issue a bonus salary. A bonus payment will be paid to all public servants. (iii) The NDP will double poor relief from $250 dollars per month to $500 per month. And (iv) The NDP will reinstate jobs and benefits to all who lost their jobs during the vaccine mandate.
That announcement, by all reports, is highly favoured, highly regarded, and well received and accepted around the country. Dr Friday and the NDP have set the “pace” again, and in doing so they have put the ULP and particularly their leader into a tailspin, so much so that their leader has subsequently said that he intended it make similar announcements in his independence speech. Such response by him is being laughed at. That laughter is echoed around the world on social media.
Vincentians, you are encouraged to remain focused and on guard. The ULP leader’s response that there will be announcements in his independence speech shows desperation. It shows that he will be willing to announce anything to try to claw back some ground. Be on guard for his grandiose promises! You must remember that you have been squeezed for almost 25 years and particularly so for the past five years. Treat his impending announcements with scepticism – take his announcements with a pinch of salt. Do not forget the previous announcements which he made and have not kept.
Here are a few reminders to jog your memory: Do you remember when (just before the 2001 elections) Arnhim Eustace and the NDP promised to pay teachers a pay rise of 12%, and when he, trying to burst into power, promised to give them 30%? We are sure that you know that now 25 years later and they still have not gotten that 30% – not even cumulatively! Do not forget the promise of the cross-country road, which never came. Do not forget the promise geothermal energy and selling electricity to Barbados, which never happened. Do not forget that during the 2015 elections the NDP promised to plant 1000 acres of bananas (to help revive agriculture). Remember that he and his and his party countered that was by saying that they will plant 2000 acres. Well, you know that to date, some ten years later, not one single acre has been initiated by them. They have not done so because they know that that would provide a pathway to your independence, and they certainly do not want you to be independent. Remember also their promise of jobs for locals living in vicinity of the Argyle International Airport. They promised that locals from around the area (including Yambou, Stubbs and Biabou) could do business at the airport. But, as you know, that has not turned out to be the case at all. The reality is that only members of one family (and you know who that family is) are allowed to run businesses there.
Vincentians, Dr Friday and the NDP are offering hope for you and your children. They are offering to build a better St Vincent and the Grenadines for everyone. Do not pass up the opportunity as they continue to set the pace for progress in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Brereton Horne.
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