The appointment of Rondy ‘Luta’ Mc Intosh as Consul General is justified, according to the Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves.
Mc Intosh’s training, qualifications, experience, and strong connections to the Vincentian diaspora in New York City make him an outstanding choice, Gonsalves said on Sunday.
“When Luta gets there, he’ll hit the ground running. He travels to New York all the time, has his family connections, his interaction with people generally, and of course, his music. I’ve provided the nation with the history of how we do these things.”
“This is a man with a good secondary education. An individual who has received training in technical fields. The level at which he was employed, within a telecommunications company, you think he got the job because he is a good-looking man. No, he performed with excellence there”.
“He worked as a sales manager at the National Broadcasting Corporation. As Minister responsible for information, I reviewed reports about the quality of his work. Therefore, I am in a good position to make these judgments”.
“I know the man, I interact with him, I know his analytical ability, I know his outreach, I know his managerial skills, I know what the office requires”.
There has never been an appointment that has caused such controversy in recent history, Gonsalves said.
“There was even a mention of people applying and that he wasn’t the only one. The truth is that nobody applied. I asked other people their thoughts, including people inside the state administration in various positions, and I kept coming back to Luta. As soon as I was satisfied in my mind, I called him.”
“The cabinet was informed about different persons because I had been talking with them, and despite what you saw in some reports about people close to the cabinet telling them the decision was not unanimous. It was 100% unanimous, I can assure you. There is no one closer to the cabinet than me”.
As for credentials, Gonsalves said people have been misled over the years thinking it is a university degree or a PhD.
“Credentials for diplomatic postings or consular offices are a matter between states. In the case of an ambassador, the documentation is an agreement to receive them”, Gonsalves said.
