KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent - The St Vincent and the Grenadines government is celebrating its first 100 days in office with Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday saying it has been “a wonderful experience” so far.
Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday (File Photo)The New Democratic Party (NDP) won the November 27 general elections last year by a resounding 14-1 majority ending the 25-year administration of then prime minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.
“It’s been a wonderful experience thus far because we now have an opportunity to deliver for the people of this country,” Friday said on a radio programme accompanied by some of his cabinet colleagues.
“It does give me a great deal of satisfaction to know that we have been able to keep our promises that we made. We said within 60 days we will do certain things to ease the cost-of-living crisis on the people in this country, and we did so. And we are continuing to look for ways in which we can make things better for the people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Friday said there are “other major policies that we have in place on the social side, but you know, in our budget, we also delivered a plan for the future of the country.
“A lot of it we can implement in this term, but a lot of it also is setting the basis for further work going forward. We have also honoured our campaign and, prior to that, our principled position that the persons who were fired under the vaccine mandate, that they would be reinstated.”
Hundreds of public sector workers lost their jobs in 2021 after they failed to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Some of them have since returned to work after the ULP government first invited them to do so and the NDP promised to reinstate them and pay for lost income resulting from the mandate.
Friday said his administration is “not mincing words with reinstating,” reiterating that his administration is saying “reinstating with all of the implications that come with that…
“We will work, and we are doing so, working with the unions, the individuals, to make this as smooth and as respectful as possible because those people have been through hell.
“We don’t want to make anything more difficult. So, we’ve delivered on that. And of course, we have our plans for various infrastructure projects that we’re going to see because people want to see things happening immediately in their constituents, and I don’t blame them,” Friday said.
Friday, who is also the Minister of Finance, said that the government had implemented a “successful” VAT-free shopping day on December 19.
“There was no gimmick in this. This was a serious measure to put money back in people’s pockets. So that they could re-spend it in the economy.
“And it put a shot in the arm of the business people. And they’re seeing that here is a government that really is looking out for people, is looking out for the private sector, that is serious about creating a vibrant economy that is dependent upon the local private sector and foreign direct investment. And of course, what government can do,” Friday said.
He told radio listeners that he is not “not going to complain and whine” about the fiscal situation his administration “inherited” from the previous administration, adding “I’m saying this is a situation we inherited. We are going to take whatever we have and deliver to the people of this country.
“And it’ll take a little time for us to get all of the major things done. But the things that we can effect now, we are doing them. People are seeing it in their lives every day,” Friday said.
Last month, the government presented an EC$1.9 billion tax-free budget to Parliament and Friday told the radio programme that the fiscal package contained policies policies and plans that are going to help with the cost of living.
“Because ultimately, the way in which you help people in the country most is by creating an economy that provides opportunity for people, that provides jobs, that provides business opportunity, that people know they have a good idea and there are certain institutions in government that help you to bring it to fruition, that you’re not going to have somebody sitting in an office and looking at the thing and saying, ‘Well, who’s doing this?’ if this person can’t get off the ground.
Friday said that to help ease the cost-of-living crisis, his administration will be reducing the VAT from 16 to 13 per cent “during the course of this year”.
Friday also said that as of March, public assistance, commonly called “Poor Relief”, will be increased to EC$500 as promised during the 2025 election campaign.
Meanwhile, former finance minister, Camillo Gonsalves has criticised the decision of the government to withdraw state advertising from the radio station associated with the opposition party which has been broadcasting since 2008.
“I don’t have any fear for the survival of Star Radio or anything like that, but that’s not the point. That’s not the main issue here,” Gonsalves said as he hosted the programme “Morning Comrade “ usually hosted by his father, the former prime minister.
He said it is “the responsibility of a government to step back and see the holistic situation and not say, ‘Leh we spite Star Radio by taking away their advertising money.
“That that is a that is a low thing to do, and I hope they reconsider it, because … it’s grounded in spite. That’s the basis of it. You’re not going to balance the budget on the little two dollars that you used to send to Star Radio.
“But you’re sending a spiteful message. You’re sending a message of intent, and the intent is not good, and I think we need to watch that.,” Gonsalves said, reading out statements by various hemispheric organisations condemning the use of state advertising to punish media that are critical of governments.
