In the wake of a historic political shift in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, political commentator Mourine Gaymes is calling for patience from critics as the newly elected New Democratic Party (NDP) government settles into power.
Responding to a recent article by Dr. Audrey Gittens, Gaymes took to Facebook to defend the new administration, which has only been in office for six months. She argued that it is unreasonable to compare the current government’s brief tenure and the challenges they inherited to what she described as “24 years of failure” and billions of dollars in debt accumulated under the previous administration.
Gaymes highlighted the overwhelming mandate given to the NDP, noting their decisive 14-1 electoral victory over the Unity Labour Party (ULP). According to Gaymes, the voters “were clearly dissatisfied with the ULP’s performance” and actively chose to deliver a crushing defeat rather than a narrow win, signaling a strong desire to see former leader Ralph and his administration removed from power for a “considerable time”.
The commentary also shed light on the internal struggles of the ousted ULP. Gaymes pointed out that Ralph, who will be 85 by the next election, failed to prepare a young successor, with speculation suggesting that if Camilo does not take over, no one else will. She claimed that Ralph is now leaving the ULP in a “dilapidated” state, mirroring the rundown condition of the country itself. Members of the ULP, she suggested, were simply too afraid to tell Ralph that it was time for him to step down.
The physical toll of the previous administration’s governance is evident in the country’s infrastructure, with Gaymes citing a rundown hospital and a deteriorated Girls’ High School as key examples of the decay.
Despite these challenges, Gaymes noted a significant positive shift in the national mood since the election. Under the new leadership of Dr. Friday, whom she described as “a breath of fresh air,” Vincentians are reportedly experiencing unprecedented peace and the newfound freedom to express themselves without fear of retribution.
Defending her own political objectivity, Gaymes stated she has a history of criticizing even her own party to encourage improvement. She concluded her public response with a direct appeal to Dr. Gittens: “Audrey, I implore you to give us some time to address the mess that Ralph left behind, and then judge us,” suggesting that the public should evaluate the new government’s progress over the next three years.