- Leacock: PM’s Absence an Insult to Parliament and People of St. Vincent
Opposition MP St Clair Leacock registered his disgust with the Prime Minister’s absence during the Opposition Leaders response to the budget presentation on Tuesday.
Leacock said that for the estimates debate, the precursor to the budget, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves absented himself from the presentation of the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Godwin, on Friday.
“I think it is a serious act of contempt and effrontery for the leader of this country not to make himself available for an exercise for which he is in charge, the annual budget. And I want you to know that we in the opposition and the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have taken note of him carrying this position of not engaging or conversing (that’s my language) with the leader of the opposition a step too far”.
“He ought to find himself here (in Parliament), and he owes this country an apology for his disgraceful behaviour. And I want to be on record as so saying, It’s an insult and an injury to this Parliament of SVG”.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel defends the PM’s absence, saying that he thinks the member has a right to his own opinion.
“Of course, the Prime Minister indicated to me that he had a very important meeting to attend, and therefore the member has a right to his own opinion as to the whereabouts of the Prime Minister. But the Prime Minister is very deeply entrenched as to what is going on at the Parliament,” Daniel said.
Daniel could be heard stating further on the hot mic following the suspension of parliament, “Darm out of place, talk about insulting St. Vincent.”
