\u201cWell, if you think you can block road against \u2018De Comrade,\u2019 try that, you try that, try that, you try that,\u201d Dr Gonsalves, popularly called \u2018De Comrade,\u2019 dared the Leader of the Opposition.
\nPrime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves dared Leader of the Opposition and president of the New Democratic Party Dr Godwin Friday during his contribution to the debate of the 2021 budget estimates last Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Dr Gonsalves was at the time responding to a reference by Dr Friday about the blocking of roads between 1999 and 2000 which has come to be called the \u2018Roadblock Revolution\u2019 \u2013 which cut-short the NDP\u2019s fourth term in office, making way for early elections in 2001 \u2013 which saw an end to the NDP\u2019s 17 years in office and the taking over of governance by the Unity Labour Party.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister had accused the Leader of the Opposition and the president of the New Democratic Party (NDP) of being interested only in his party, power, status and selling citizenship and passports instead of having a national interest.
\nIn response to the Prime Minister\u2019s accusation, the Leader of the Opposition asked him \u201cwho blocked roads\u201d to get into office.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a people\u2019s protest,\u201d Prime Minister Gonsalves replied.
\nIt is not the first time that Dr Gonsalves has dared the Leader of the Opposition and the NDP to block the roads.<\/p>\n
Following the general elections of November 5th, 2020, which saw the ULP returning to office with a 9-6 victory, having added a seat to the narrow 8-7 margin which existed in the two previous elections, the Prime Minister said he was the master of protest.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister was at that time responding the some NDP supporters calling for protest action following the elections in which the NDP received the majority in the popular votes. Opposition supporters were contending that in the 1998 elections the ULP lost 7-8 but won the popular votes and refused to recognize the NDP government, threatening to make the country ungovernable.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I tell you this here today. I hear some of them talking \u2013 what they will do and what they wouldn\u2019t do. I just want to tell them, the man who is talking here, I am the master of the streets. And they must try and test me,\u201d Dr Gonsalves said on radio recently.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am the master of the street. Ah hope the Christian Council talk to them with some of the irresponsible things that they\u2019re saying and doing.
\n\u201cSome (of them) in the Christian Council only ha mouth fo Ralph, you know – Ah say \u2018some.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been observing and I have been listening. And I know what I say here will attract criticism. But I am not afraid of criticism. I speak my mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd one thing I can tell you; I am sworn to uphold and defend the constitution and laws of St Vincent and the Grenadines. I will do it legally and I will do it politically,\u201d the Prime Minister also stated.<\/p>\n
Dr Gonsalves said he was not making a threat but simply seeking to uphold the oath he took as Prime Minister.
\n\u201cI ain\u2019t threatening nobody, because as I say it is not a threat.<\/p>\n
I am just upholding my oath. And I am doing what I consider to be part of my life work, to defend the sovereignty and independence of this country to prevent it from being recolonized.<\/p>\n
And I am not going to allow whether it\u2019s a right-wing opportunist, an infantile leftist or any backward elements of the petit bourgeoisie \u2013 none of them \u2013 to shake the independence and the sovereignty and the national interest of St Vincent and the Grenadines,\u201d Dr Gonsalves, who has responsibility for national security, said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWell, if you think you can block road against \u2018De Comrade,\u2019 try that, you try that, try that, you try that,\u201d Dr Gonsalves, popularly called \u2018De Comrade,\u2019 dared the Leader of the Opposition. Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves dared Leader of the Opposition and president of the New Democratic Party Dr Godwin Friday during his<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":20080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,1,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-local-news","category-mainstory","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n