Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has assured the Vincentian public that his Unity Labour Party (ULP) government will not be troubled by the protest action by supporters of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).

He made the comment on Tuesday 29th December 2015 at the ceremonial opening of the first session of the tenth Parliament where Members of Parliament were officially sworn in.

The protest action by supporters of the NDP has been ongoing following the December 9th, general election which the ULP won with 8 seats with the other 7 seats going to the NDP.

On Monday 28^th December 2015 the court refused an application by the New Democratic Party to access certain electoral documents in relation to the December 9th general elections.

Gonsalves on Tuesdays Opening of parliament told reporters, that the refusal of the court to accept Ben Exeter application, was quote “A magnificent Judgement”.

On Tuesday 29^th December 2015 Exeter along with an NDP young democrat was arrested, it was later learned that exciter was arrested and charged for “RESISTING ARREST AND ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER”

On Wednesday 30^th December 2015 Exeter appeared in court and  was charged with three counts of assault on Police Officers, the prosecution also brought forward the resisting arrest charges.

Along with Exeter a young democrat Shabbaz George was also charged for obstructing a police officer and using what is described as zapper laser type equipment.

Exeter and George pleaded not guilty; the case was put off until January 25^th 2016.

Leader of the Party Arnhim Eustace says that the party is unrepentant, and will toil in the vineyard as long as possible to obtain justice, noting that the will of the people had been denied.

The Commonwealth in a report dated 12 December 2015 said , “we have heard allegations of serious irregularities from one political party, We call upon those making these claims to file formal complaints as prescribed in the electoral laws, and for the relevant institutions to investigate and pronounce on these allegations,”.

Gonsalves on Tuesday 29^th December quoted poet John Keits to describe the NDP protest action saying, “heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter”.

The unheard melodies which are sweet are the 34000 that voted for the ULP and gave us a majority, a convincing majority Gonsalves said, in the secrecy of the ballot their melodies are unheard, but they are sweeter he said, and made manifest in today’s opening of parliament.

Those who have lost must accept their defeat starting with the person who said he was not going to be sworn in, but yesterday ask the Governor General to make him leader of the Opposition.

Eustace earlier this month said the members of the party who won their seats would not be sworn in, as to do so would be conceding to defeat.

The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has called for public calm following the disputed general election in St. Vincent and Grenadines.

The opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) has refused to accept the results of the December 9 election, which it lost by one seat to United Labour Party (ULP). There 15 constituencies on the island.

The NDP has vowed civil disobedience after Christmas.

“We accordingly urge that all parties maintain the public calm and follow the constitutionally established processes for the orderly resolution of any electoral dispute,” OECS Chairman, Dr. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, said in a statement. “The people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines deserve nothing less.”

Observer missions sent to St. Vincent by the OAS, the Commonwealth and CARICOM all reported that the election was free and fair.

But the NDP said its investigations revealed that 320 illegal votes were cast in the disputed Central Leeward Constituency, which it said it won by six votes. Electoral Office officials declared that the ULP won the seat by 313 votes.

Opposition Leader, Arnhim Eustace, said his party will not recognise “an illegitimate government” since the election was not free and fair.

“We have written to the OAS formally complaining about the illegitimate instalment of Ralph Gonsalves as Prime Minister,” he said in a statement. “We have asked for the use of the region mechanism to ensure that democracy is saved and protected in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He added legal actions concerning the elections were filed in the courts on Wednesday 16th December 2015.

“We are moving to challenge these fraudulent elections in the court, where we are confident of legal redress,” he stated. “In the interim, we will continue acts of civil disobedience and non-recognition of this imposed regime.”

He added, “the party will continue with a series of massive protest right after Christmas, the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines have told us not to let this injustice stand, and we have also heard them. So this struggle will continue after Christmas…”

The New Democratic Party (NDP) wants to carry out a coup d’état against a democratically elected government, “I will never allow such to take place.”

This is according to Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, speaking the United Labour Party (ULP) victory rally at Argyle last Saturday night.

Following the Wednesday 9th December, the leader of the Opposition, Arnhim Eustace, says his party and supporters are unrepentant about accepting the results since information suggests the results were fraudulent.

Gonsalves, at his swearing ceremony, Gonsalves said that the political responsibility of the Prime Minister is to ensure law and order are not undermined, and he takes that obligation seriously, and particularly where anyone seeks to subvert the will of the people.

Speaking to party supporters at the victory rally, he stated that he would not allow the NDP to undermine the free and democratic institutions of the country.

He said up to this point he has not asked Labour supporters to come out and confront NDP. “I have not said that, because I don’t want any war and bloodshed,” he stated.

Gonsalves, however, urges his supporters to come out on Monday to witness the swearing in of cabinet members during which, he said, the Governor General, three pastors and himself will speak.

Gonsalves said he is calling on the Christian Council to tell Eustace that he must accept his loss and if he wants to use the court to challenge irregularities to go and do so because he did it on twenty occasions and lost every single case. He said the same language Eustace is using now is the same language he used in 2010.

He noted that the ULP got over 34,000 while the NDP got over 30,000; 3,000 more than the opposition got nationally. He pointed out that the ULP has the popular votes now and the NDP is in a weaker position than in 2010.

Gonsalves said leaders must be careful not to miss lead people, and the NDP leadership is doing that right now. He noted that he has learnt that the opposition members would not be accepting any position.

“Well you are elected and you don’t want to come to Parliament, I would bring a law early so that you would not get a salary,” Gonsalves said to Opposition members. 

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was sworn in last night, five hours later than scheduled as the National Democratic Party (NDP) refused to concede a one-seat defeat to the Unity Labour Party (ULP) in Wednesday’s general elections and supporters blocked the road to Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne’s residence.

Riot police had to be called out as the NDP demonstrators tried to prevent Gonsalves from taking the oath of office for a fourth consecutive time.

Declaring there had been fraud and irregularities during the vote, and insisting that Gonsalves should not be sworn in before a recount in the Central Leeward constituency and other disputed constituencies had been completed, the

NDP insisted it would not accept the results which gave it seven of the 15 seats in Parliament and the ULP the other eight – the result as in the 2010 elections.

The Unity Labour Party (ULP) of Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has been elected for the fourth time, to govern St. Vincent and The Grenadines.

Preliminary results show The ULP retaining its single seat majority over the New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Arnhim Eustace. However, the ULP leader, Dr. Gonsalves, has called for a recount in two seats.

“Today, the people of St. Vincent & the Grenadines embraced the politics of love. They embraced our progressive agenda for the future by returning us to  government. We are calling for a recount in North Leeward and South Leeward,” he said.

“I am humbled and honoured that the people of St. Vincent & the Grenadines embraced our bold vision for the future and rejected the politics of hate,” noted Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.

“We are looking into various issues in North Leeward and South Leeward and we are also calling for an immediate recount to ensure that all the votes are counted in those constituencies. There are more rejected ballots than the margin and those ballots should be examined closely to determine the intent of the voters,” he noted.

“We ask Vincentians to celebrate this victory in peace and maturity. Now is the time to come together as one nation to address our developmental challenges and move forward to uplift our nation and it’s people,” Gonsalves stated.

Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Dr Ralph Gonsalves says a sex tape making the rounds between a young female and a much older male is nothing more than a setup, as tension begins to rise in the lead up to that country’s general election on December 9^th, 2015.

Since its release, speculation has been rife about the identity of the male voice on the tape.

Gonsalves ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP), is seeking another term in office. The New Democratic Party (NDP) headed by Arnhim Eustace, a Former Prime Minister, who lost the last General Election in 2010 by an eight to seven margin in the 15-seat parliament, is the main opposition party.

Part of the tape in question consists of a young female and a much older man in a sexual conversation in which the man reveals having called the girl the previous day while coming from parliament.

But speaking in an interview, Gonsalves alleges that the sex tape was contrived by a man and a woman who left the island the next day after releasing the tape, (Sunday 8^th November 2015) aboard an LIAT flight not long after the announcement of the date for election. According to him, they are being holed up in a hotel in St. Kitts and Nevis

“You would have heard over the last couple of hours a sex tape that is making the rounds in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and it took the country by surprise,” he said. “And information reaching St. Vincent and the Grenadines ties in to their arrival to St Vincent and the Grenadines with the company that represents the Economic Citizenship Company to that office in St. Kitts,” he explained.

Gonsalves said the leader of the Opposition said he would introduce Economic Citizenship to St. Vincent and it is no coincidence that that particular company which is operating out of St. Kitts would be hosting the two.

“I give you that information because if you cannot go to the electorate with a program and a plan for the upcoming election, you brought several people here to get traction so this is a plan planned in the highest quarters in this country. You have to add and put one and one together.”

Gonsalves added that the supporters of the Unity Workers Party, on the basis of public opinion polls and “on the basis of what you have, Vincentians recognise that Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is the best leader that we have and that the government of the Unity Labour Party will be returned to office…”

General Elections will be held here on December 09, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has announced. Parliamentary elections were last held on 13 December 2010.

In the last general election, Gonsalves’ Unit Labour Party (ULP) won by a one-seat margin to take control of the 21-member House of Assembly. The New Democratic Party, led by Arnhim Eustace, won seven seats.