Vice President of St Vincent’s main opposition party St Clair Leacock said the arrest of the opposition spokesperson Colin Graham and the party’s General Secretary is a signal by the administration of its intention to cut off the head of the New Democratic Party.
“It must not be interpreted any differently. That is precisely what it is, and it must be spoken to and called out for what it is. They are going to decimate or make the opposition forces in SVG as dysfunctional as possible by decapitating the leadership of the New Democratic Party.
Vincentians have to signal that they will draw a line in the sand, that there are things for which they will not stand. I am proud of myself for a long time now, identifying the problems of SVG in the context of democracy and the stance we must take in defense of it. Because there are attempts in some quarters to ignore constitutional rule in SVG”.
Leacock said there is a significant disappointment coming out of the arrest on Wednesday.
“Coming out of the meeting with the Police High Command and the NDP along with its lawyers, there was a straightforward undertaking then, that with respect to the right to protest there are provisions for protests to take place, but we could enhance it with a notification.
To come now, nearly two or three weeks after that meeting, tells me, it’s either that you have gone back on your understanding of what it is or that some other parties of influence have impressed upon you that you are either being soft or too accommodating. Put it this way; you must manners the New Democratic Party”.
Leacock said one of the persons they are interested in, provided security for him in the last election campaign. He said this must stop; something has to give way, urging Vincentians to stand up and fight back in their self-interest and for future generations.
“It has to be the greatest of ironies, and some people put it better than I am explaining it, of what scoundrels do in the last days. However, all that we see now in SVG is what has been perfected by the ULP.
“This regime has exhausted the patience of Vincentians; they are in office by the slimmest of margins. If you were to have another close election and say they lose by a single seat or by single digits. You have to ask yourself if they would, in fact, surrender.
I believe we may first have to get past the local police force; then, they would exhaust their privileges to try and reach out to the Regional Security System. Vincentians need to send a strong message that these are the things we would not stand for”.
Leacock said there is nothing unlawful, illegal or disgraceful for being on the streets on September 9.
