The main Opposition party in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Public Service Union, Teachers Union and Rise Hairouna, a social activist group, will protest in Kingstown today.
Following a letter from the Police Commissioner that prohibited Unions from holding protests within proximity to the parliament, the PSU members voted to defy the police order on Saturday, September 4.
The PSU says recent changes to the Public Health Amendment Act will make it mandatory for specific categories of workers to be vaccinated.
Head of the PSU, Elroy Boucher, says the Union is not against vaccination, but it must be an individual choice.
Leader of the New Democratic Party Godwin Friday said those in authority are infringing on the democratic rights of citizens, particularly the Public Service Union, to conduct peaceful protests, which the New Democratic Party supports.
Friday said since the Cornelius John shooting and the involvement of Senator Ashelle Morgan and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Karim Nelson, citizens have been clamouring for fairness in the execution of justice in this country. The police never arrested Morgan and Nelson.
“Protests started here three months ago to ensure the administration of justice runs its true course that everybody is equal before the law”.
“Unfortunately, the arrests of Colin Graham, Adriana King and Kenson King by armed police office indicate otherwise, but especially troubling were the heavily armed members of the Special Services Unit and the Rapid Response Unit or Black Squad who entered the headquarters of the New Democratic Party in search of General Secretary Tyrone James”.
Since the August 5 protest left Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves with a head wound, several Opposition activists and party officials have been arrested and charged under the Public Order Act.
Friday says he’s heartened by the number of persons pledging their support to the democratic process.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is the smallest nation to sit on the UN Security Council.