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FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 12, 2014
VOLUME 108, No.50
www.thevincentian.com
EC$1.50
Stories by DAYLE DA SILVA
St. Clair Leacock, MP for Central Kingstown, reflected on a previous occasion when he had to fear for his life.
FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC EVENT that transpired last Saturday (December 6) evening, NDP Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown, St Clair Leacock, says there is more reason for him to be concerned about his safety. Leacock expressed the concern when he spoke with THE VINCENTIAN minutes following the incident when a car ploughed into a crowd, injuring several people
and killing at least one, during a New Democratic Party (NDP) meeting in Clare Valley. He followed up on Monday when he called into the New Times programme on NICE Radio, saying that he believed that the potential for the vehicle driving straight on to the hard court and on to the stage where he and other Parliamentary representatives were sitting, was grave. “In other words, those of us on that platform barely escaped a worse outcome,” Leacock said. He said that on the night of the last General Elections in 2010, he was taken off the road by the police. “I have been warned.... People’s names have been called, criminal gangs have been identified, and people knew of the potential for me getting hurt — I have received death threats,” Leacock said. He spoke of an incident when a threat was made against him by a caller who stated that he was going to
shoot the MP. “This is not a joking matter, our life is on the line,” he said. Leacock further contended that there were people wanting to take them out, and the members of the party ought to take a defensive position.
No accident So incensed was Leacock, that he declared that last Saturday’s incident was no accident!! He reasoned that if a vehicle is in good working order — that is the headlights were working, horn and brakes functioning, and is involved in a collision, the expected reaction from the driver will be remorse. “That will be the spontaneous reaction — not to escape to be apprehended. And we didn’t have that, we didn’t have lights, we didn’t have horn, we didn’t have brakes, and we didn’t have expressions or actions of remorse or sorrow,” Leacock said. He said that he was among those who were of the view that the incident was an attempt to hurt those people present at the public meeting. Continued on Page 3.
FRANCIS MAY CONSIDER LEGAL ACTION SENATOR JULIAN FRANCIS, General Secretary of the Unity Labour Party (ULP), says that he is contemplating whether he should take civil action against individuals who may have defamed him. Francis made the comment while speaking on his weekly Star Radio programme ‘Unity Speaks’, on Tuesday night. He said that within hours following the fatal accident at Clare Valley, a number of people and NDP Parliamentarians openly expressed the view that they believed that what took place was no accident, and that it was set up by Francis and Leader of the ULP , Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves. The accident to which Francis
referred was one in which nothing to do…the two names they 78-year-old Edgar Cruickshank are calling are Julian Francis and was killed, after a car collided with a Ralph Gonsalves, and the things they number of persons attending a New are saying, they are subject to pay for Democratic Party (NDP) meeting in their tongue — some of them must pay the area, last Saturday night. for their tongue,” Francis said. During Tuesday night’s He further charged that the NDP programme, Francis read some of the were doing what they were doing out comments that were circulating on of sheer desperation. social media. “They know that this is not a setAnd according to him, he noticed up as they are putting it,” the ULP that the authors of some of the General Secretary said. comments were very careful when referring to the Prime Minister. “Perhaps that is because I said I Continued on Page 3. don’t sue nobody…I wonder if I should start to sue them?” Senator Julian Francis says that He went on to refute the claims persons making certain allegations that were being circulated. regarding the Clare Valley incident “The leadership of this party had “must pay for their tongue”.