The SVG Green Party 2005 manifesto was carefully put together after detailed profiling of the SVG economy as a solution to correct the socio-economic imbalance so that everyone can benefit from the resources of the country.

Recently we have noticed that the ULP government has been plagiarising the SVG Green Party visionary 2005 manifesto in the following areas:

1. SVG Green Party proposed to build a university in Georgetown in the election in 2005 and outlined the benefits to North Windward, North Central Windward and South Central Windward (p32-33). The ULP government announced they will build a university in South Central Windward or North Central Windward.

1. During the 2007 Budget Address, page 44, Mr Gonsalves states that the ULP regime is ‘exploring the feasibility of installing up to 7.2 megawatts of wind-generated electricity in the area of Ribishi Point’. The visionary SVG Green Party 2005 manifesto, page 35, sets outs an agenda on the implementation of renewable energy in the whole of SVG as a better source of electricity production. The incompetent ULP regime did not even have the foresight in 2005 to put renewable energy in its 2005 manifesto. Their energy policy, page 63, and focuses oil, oil, and OIL.

1. In the second week of January 2007 the Ministry of Education announced on television that they will be providing a counselling service in schools. The SVG Green Party said in its 2005 manifesto, page 32, it would ‘provide mediation services in schools to sort out problems between students, teachers and parents’.

1. In May 2006, the ULP government announced initiatives, such as organic farming (The News, May 5) and bio-diesel (Searchlight, May 5). SVG Green Party 2005 manifesto proposes on page 10 organic farming, and both pages 11 and 35 refers to alternative sources of energy other than oil. SVG Green Party recommended hemp, as there are concerns about jethropa, which the ULP government suggested, taking too long to deliver and it is not as versatile as hemp.

1. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce sent out an email on 13th January 2007 putting forward the idea of introducing renewable energy and national grid electricity supply. This is identical to SVG Green Party 2005 manifesto page 35 proposing renewable energies and a national grid as a vehicle to sell electricity at affordable prices and to allow small producers of electricity to sell their electricity to the national grid.

The ULP government shows weak leadership. They have not put forward a cohesive plan about how to uplift the economy. The economy is still very vulnerable – relying only on two factors – and their economic approach is begging and borrowing. Small businesses and investors are finding it hard to operate in this present economic environment as the ULP government is not telling the truth about the economy.

Signed………………………….
Ivan O’Neal BSc(Hons), MSc, MBA, Leader and Co-founder of SVG Green Party