From Friday, November 28, 2025 life in SVG will not be the same again ! As soon as the euphoria of election victory is over the task of nation building continues, the affairs of this country must take priority and any wrong doing exposed and dealt with efficaciously.
Although not heard of much during the campaign, National Health Insurance must be revisited with vigour. With the upsurge in construction and manufacturing, there will be the corresponding possibility for accidents and workplace illnesses that would best be addressed if there was a National Health Insurance (NHI) program to cushion the costs of modern day health services, especially diagnostic services.
For persons with kidney problems who need dialysis, NHI will ease the financial burden for such patients. Maternity benefits can also be factored into a functioning NHI program. A bill for NHI was prepared since the turn of the century and MUST be revisited as it is absolutely necessary and LONG overdue !
Local Government must also be high on the list of MUST DO activities to allow the Central government to concentrate on the major developmental projects that need careful attention and constant monitoring. Let our local government concentrate on getting all the village and feeder roads in proper shape, not only for the sake of visitors, but firstly for the local population who use these roads daily.
Still on the list of matters to be revisited is the Richmond quarry project which does not have an approved EIA for that project, and which has so far damaged and polluted the area and continues to damage and pollute the Richmond area. I see our legal department requiring extra hands to deal with the multiplicity of renegotiated contracts and revision of outdated laws.
The recent hotel development contract needs to be seriously overhauled as in the opinion of many concerned Vincentians, they don’t think that the contract which is shrouded in secrecy is beneficial to this country as a whole and that any new development in this country must use renewable energy to cut down on global emissions produced by fossil fuels. Further, there is no clear indication that there will be a contract with local producers to provide vegetables and choice meats by providing farmers with green houses and irrigation equipment among other facilities in order to guarantee supplies .
Not a priority but what needs to start now is the discussion of changing the name of this country to one of its original names and to make legal preparations to sever formal ties with the UK with the british king as our head of state. Being a socialist republic has absolutely nothing to do with communism, so don’t make anyone throw that silly argument on intelligent Vincentians. A socialist government puts the needs of its people first, not the wants of a few wealthy friends and election funders.
Before writing the penultimate and final paragraphs I circulated this document for perusal by other concerned Vincies and those who responded all suggested that one of the immediate matters to be dealt with must include “Integrity legislation” … and I agree … let me expand. In the beginning it was not so, nor required, our leaders including Chatoyer were chosen due to their abilities to protect the group/society they herded. These were men and women of physical strength, possessed tactical skills and plenty common sense. These persons were respected role models and natural leaders. Ego, foolish pride and greed now define modern day leadership, requiring integrity legislation.
So NDP, you have your work cut out for you as this is no task for the lazy. We can learn something from the Taiwan experience. When there is a change of government in that country, the change is not abrupt like our system, instead there is a one year transitional period where the previous party hands over to the new party as there would be on-going national projects that require continuity, and therefore, the out-going needs to brief the in-coming as to where they are and what is required to complete these projects of national importance. Then again, we need not discard all residual ULP talent as we are all Vincentians with a vision for the prosperity of our multi island state
