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FRIDAY,
JUNE 05, 2015
VOLUME 109, No.23
www.thevincentian.com
GARIFUNA TO BECOME HONORARY CITIZENS OF SVG, SAYS EUSTACE
Story and photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net US CORRESPONDENT
OPPOSITION LEADER Arnhim Eustace says, if his New Democratic Party (NDP) wins the next general elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, his administration would honour the Garifuna people by making them honorary citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “I want to bring them closer to St.
Vincent and the Grenadines,” said Eustace, last Sunday night at a town hall meeting in Brooklyn, New York, flanked by Member of Parliament for North Leeward, Roland “Patel” Matthews, and former Communications and Works Minister in a former NDP administration, Glenford Stewart. “There are those who say it can’t be done, but it will be done,” he added, to loud applause, with some Garifuna in the audience. “I have naysayers who say ‘it’ll be a drain on the economy.’
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Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace addressing town hall meeting. There’s a saying, ‘where ignorance is bliss, it’s folly York, Eustace said he had met with a to be wise’. “I must say, they’ll (Garifuna) make number of Garifuna, descendants of Black Caribs from St. Vincent and the the most marvellous contribution to Grenadines, and “got an St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” continued the NDP president. “There’s understanding of what took place” (leading up to and during their exile no way they can pull us down; they’ll by the British on Balliceaux — a rocky pull us up. island in the St. Vincent Grenadines, “Tonight, I say to the Garifuna, and Roatan, an island off Honduras, welcome home,” Eustace declared. “We’ve stated our position tonight, and some 218 years ago. we’ll stand by it.” Continued on Page 3. During his week-long visit to New
PM SAYS NO TO HONORARY CITIZENSHIP Arnhim Eustace, to extend honorary citizenship of St PRIME MINISTER DR Vincent and the Grenadines, RALPH GONSALVES says to Garifuna people not born that he does not support the here. proposal put forward by Gonsalves made the Leader of the Opposition, comment on Tuesday during a press briefing, saying that the Left: Prime Minister Dr. Ralph only thing that he knew as Gonsalves has taken umbrage honorary citizenship resembled a law the New with Opposition Leader Democratic Party (NDP) Arnhim Eustace’s offer of passed back in 1996, which honorary citizenship to was then referred to as Garifuna. by DAYLE DA SILVA
economic citizenship. “We brought it to an end in 2001,” the Prime Minister said. The proposal advanced by Eustace, according to Gonsalves, raised a number of questions. For example, would the honorary citizens have a right to permanent residence and the right to work? “I want the people in East
Kingstown to hear this. When you give honorary citizenship, they coming out from Belize, from Nicaragua, from Honduras, from Guatemala, they are coming out from those countries for jobs in St Vincent? “They are coming for your houses, I want to know what this involves,” he added. Continued on Page 3.