St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ foreign policy direction remains heavily clouded, the opposition claims, following mixed signals regarding the nation’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister St Clair Leacock led a delegation to Taiwan, prompting a local publication to suggest that the NDP had abandoned its decade-old policy of switching diplomatic recognition to China.
However, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Keisal Peters challenged this conclusion, noting that Prime Minister Godwin Friday previously stated in 2023 that any official position on foreign relations would come directly from him, yet he has remained completely silent on the issue since taking office.
Former ULP minister Carlos James pointed out that while in opposition, NDP leadership repeatedly championed a “One China” policy and promised to break ties with Taiwan, even though Leacock maintained back-channel communications and lobbied for Taiwanese scholarships.
Peters likened the government’s lack of cohesion to the classic calypso song “Body Confusion” by Professor. “Body confusion.
Because head saying something else, neck want to turn another way, foot and hand doing their own thing over there. It’s just not cohesive,” Peters remarked, stressing the need for clear leadership as the country approaches its 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Taiwan.