SVG PM’s health questioned ahead of 2025 election
Attorney Jomo Thomas on Thursday speculated about the health of St Vincent’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves ahead of the expected December 2025 elections.
Thomas said that when the prime minister left for his recent trip to the UK, the nation did not hear any updates from him, which is unusual when he is abroad. “Depending on what is happening, he may call in to speak to one issue or the other, sometimes on different media outlets.”
Gonsalves has stated multiple times since late 2024 that he is in good health, his brain is sharp and he is ready to unload on the Opposition this round as he aims for a sixth term.
“I was kind of taken aback by the fact that he did not call in. And then I think last week there was an event at the Prime Minister’s residence; I think they were honouring retired public servants, and my information is that he did not speak then. And then you know that he’s, he is the minister of higher education in Saint Vincent, and at the community college graduation event, he did not speak.”
Thomas said there was a picture of Gonsalves walking with a cane and further stated that if persons pay attention, they would notice gaps in the Prime Minister’s presentations.
“There was a picture of Gonsalves walking with a cane. I’m not sure if anyone saw that. The PM would be 79 on August 8th. So this is a man who’s of advanced age. This is a man who carries around a lot of pounds. So biology in time would take its toll. You know, you can’t carry that amount of bones for so long and expect that it wouldn’t have a toll on your hip, on your knees, or on your ankles. And then at age 79, that advanced age, your body is clearly in decline.”
“And if anyone pays close attention to the PM in the ways in which I try to pay attention, you would find that he’s evidently not sharp. Maybe none of us would be as sharp as we were 15 or 20 years ago. There are gaps in what he presents.”
Thomas stated that as elections draw near, his party should be concerned, as they may not have the benefit of his speaking at 3 to 4 meetings per night.
“I say all of that to say” We are on the homestretch to elections now, and we can be certain. Well, if we go from all of the previous elections, you know that the Prime Minister careens from one location to the next, one meeting to the next, as if he is in the Indy 500 or if he’s one of those guys doing the Formula One. You know, he speeds from 3 or 4 meetings per night.”
“If he’s having difficulties, if he’s having medical problems, that may slow him down immensely. And that could seriously hamper his party because they would not have his presence in the ways in which they have had it in the past,” Thomas said.
