NDP PUSH FOR FRESH ELECTIONS

The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) says it will use its position in the new Parliament to force the Ralph Gonsalves government to call fresh general elections within a one year period. “…we will bring that government down and have free and fresh elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. … One year of constant pressure from the New Democratic Party will bring them down,” said NDP leader Arnhim Eustace, who has already called for the results of the December 13 general elections to be declared null and void. He told party supporters on Thursday night that the opposition legislators will “keep the fire burning” when the new Parliament convenes in January. The ULP won a third consecutive five-year term on Monday with a one-seat majority in the 15-member Parliament. The other seats were won by the NDP. “When we get into that Parliament, we will be giving them fire,” Eustace said, adding “when I say fire, we are going to keep the fire at their feet everyday in the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They say ‘Keep the fire burning’; we will keep that fire burning”. Eustace, who has led the NDP to three consecutive defeats, reminded supporters that unlike the last two parliaments when there were only three opposition legislators, this time, things will be different.  “It will be 12 on that side (government) and nine on this side (opposition) and this nine here is going to give endless trouble in the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “We will control the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines until such time as elections are held…” Eustace said that the opposition will pressure the government, forcing it to return to the polls within a year. “Expect from the New Democratic Party a very aggressive approach to dealing with the business of the country because we want to ensure that they don’t run [a] five-year term here. We want a one-year term for the ULP,” he said.. “…I know that as we hold them and squeeze them and increase the pressure, they will have to buckle. And, when they buckle, we will push them down and we will ensure that the New Democratic Party takes over the reign of power and office in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in order to bring a brighter future, a brighter dawn for all the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “Gonsalves is a weakened man today with a number of people with him in Parliament who will not be able to deal with the issues in the Parliament of St. Vincent, which affect the lives of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Eustace said. Eustace, who has represented East Kingstown since 1998, said he was looking forward to the budget debate in January next year.  “All those new ones who gone in there, I am waiting to see how they are going to debate the budget,” he said, thanking supporters for almost winning the government in the election.  “We came very close to forming the government and it will not be very long before we do form that government,” he said. (CMC)