Former PM Ralph Gonsalves contends that the recently elected NDP government is risking national stability through reckless foreign policy pivots and economic mismanagement. He argues that the administration’s specific proposals, particularly regarding citizenship and international alliances, ignore the “grave dangers” of the current global political climate.
Gonsalves on Monday characterized the NDP’s plan to shift diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China as “total folly” and “unnecessary and reckless”. He asserts that such a move, combined with the proposal to sell passports and citizenship (CBI), creates a volatile situation. He highlighted that the United States White House already views CBI programs as an inherent security risk, and pursuing them could lead to “great pain” for the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Former Prime Minister said that the NDP is pinning the country’s economic future on a CBI system that is “on a life support system”. He warns that the North Atlantic powers (USA, UK, and EU) have made it clear that CBI programs are “unfixable” and must end. “Persisting with this addiction could lead to the loss of visa-free status and a disorganized strangulation of the economy, you know death by a thousand cuts.
Such a collapse could eventually destabilize the Eastern Caribbean dollar, impacting jobs and overall economic health.
Gonsalves claims that since the NDP took office, there has been a “virtual slowdown of economic activity” and that the country is at a “standstill”. He alleges that capital projects started by the previous administration are on a “go slow” despite available funding, which he deems “entirely unacceptable”.
The Opposition leader cited the dismissal of long-term workers and the specific case of a housing assessor who he claims was falsely imprisoned following a report from an NDP politician and criticized the government for telling citizens they must wait for a budget to receive social assistance, noting that the law allows for the spending of “1/12th of last year’s recurrent expenditure” in January to prevent such suffering.
Gonsalves stated that “children and fools must not play with edge tools,“ suggesting that the NDP lacks the practical and concrete understanding required to navigate these complex issues without causing national harm.