In the past two weeks, there has been rioting in Haiti over high food prices. A cup of rice costs more than a daily wage. People are hungry and angry. Looters are everywhere and over 5 people have been killed. The Prime Minister for Haiti was forced to resign.  In SVG food prices have spiralled upwards too, practically beyond the pocket of the poor.

SVG Green Party is concerned that the situation in SVG could spiral out of control and calls on PM Gonsalves not to push SVG on the path to being another Haiti. Households in SVG with little or no income have seen their ability to buy food become painful and ridiculous. The situation in SVG could become ugly. Ralph Gonsalves should put people first and resign – people are going hungry because he’s simply not up to the job!

The SVG economy is not growing despite what Ralph Gonsalves tries to make out. If there was growth we would see increases in employment and businesses output; money in the pockets of the poor; a treasury that was not virtually bust; more exports; a buoyant business sector and a fall in crime and the high cost of living.

Under the ULP, agriculture and other parts of the economy have fallen sharply. This has caused unemployment to rise sharply and made the bad YES program even more ridiculous. The YES program is meant to place young people in jobs, but there are few jobs for anyone, let alone young people.

Ralph Gonsalves’ management has given the SVG current account an overdraft of over 58 million dollars. Prominent business owners have expressed serious concern about the economy as they see their sales drop by over 40 per cent. This serious downturn in the private sector clearly shows that Ralph Gonsalves’ spurious claims of economic growth are outrageous. Lack of vision, innovation and ability are core weaknesses of the ULP regime.

If this state of affairs continues much longer, there will be more undernourished people in SVG. The food price situation in SVG is at its worst in recent history. Governments are meant to assist families not starve them to death.

In 2001, people voted for a better life, but they have been betrayed. Economic growth is badly needed in SVG to improve the lives of SVG’s citizens. However, the economy is in shambles and Ralph Gonsalves’ leadership has been a big disappointment. It seems that Ralph Gonsalves is so embarrassed by his own performance that even he would rather be abroad than here in SVG.

SVG is going under with Ralph Gonsalves, but the nation deserves better. We ask the nation to give SVG Green Party your full support. If you want better then a change is necessary. SVG Green Party has shown ability and innovation. The fact that people are struggling to buy bread is the clearest factor that the economy is fragile. For people to buy food they need money in their pockets. An SVG Green Party government will create jobs so that the poor and the unemployed no longer have anxiety about where the money will come from to buy their next meal.