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FRIDAY,
SEPTEMBER 12, 2014
VOLUME 108, No.37
www.thevincentian.com
„I WANT TO KEEP THEM GUESSING‰
by WILLIAM’ KOJAH’ ANTHONY
PRIME MINISTER Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is keeping the date of the next general elections a secret. “I want to keep them guessing,” he quipped last Tuesday at Cabinet Room. He was updating the nation on his government’s response to the floods caused by heavy rains last Saturday. “I was giving up the power to call snap elections,” the Prime Minister indicated. The reference came as he outlined a series of projects which his government is dealing with. He alluded to the Referendum which was held in November 2009. “I was giving up the power to call snap elections,” he declared. “It will come back to haunt them,” Dr. Gonsalves added. “I move Julian, they start to panic,” the Vincentian leader said. That referendum was aimed at giving the ruling Unity Labour Party the authority to change the constitution. The new arrangement would have outlined a period during which general elections would be called. The opposition New Democratic Party mounted a No campaign, and the government failed to secure the two thirds vote needed to alter the constitution. The government came out with just under 44 percent of the votes
PRIME MINISTER Dr. Ralph Gonsalves cast, while the No campaign gathered nearly 56 percent. The ULP, however, held on to eight seats when the general elections were called December 2010. According to Dr. Gonsalves, floods and landslides as result of the heavy rains caused “significant damage,” but not at a scale where assistance is needed from overseas. The E. T. Joshua airport was closed until four Saturday afternoon because of flooding to
the departure area. River defences were breached in several parts throughout the island, and repair works have been done in places like Buccament, Vermont, Spring Village, as well as other parts of the island. Landslides were numerous, and three properties were destroyed in Buccament. Restoration works are going on in the North Leeward district of Spring Village where the main road was undermined. Heavy vehicles were forbidden to use the highway, while others using it were advised to proceed with caution. Private residences were affected, and some persons were transferred to emergency shelters. The Prime Minister declared that relief assistance was mobilised. He admitted that, while the system was “not perfect, it was working.” Persons were commended for cleaning up their communities. He declared that “while we must be critical, we can’t be hysterical.” Minister of State in the Transport and Works Ministry Julian Francis was commended for his work in the rehabilitation exercise, and workers in the Ministry as well as other citizens were applauded for their actions.
Continued on Page 3.
EC$1.50
The cover of Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams’ latest book ‘Memories of the Hibiscus.
Blazer launches ‘Memories of the Hibiscus’ by KENVILLE HORNE LAWYER, AUTHOR AND CULTURAL ACTIVIST Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams has added another publication to his list of books. Continued on Page 3. Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams