GONSALVES
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (CMC):
PRIME MINISTER Dr Ralph Gonsalves said he was reviewing many of the comments made about the December 7, 2005 general election seemingly with a view to taking legal action accordingly.
Speaking in Parliament Friday as he wrapped up the budget debate, Gonsalves maintained that members of the Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) had "tarnished" the image of the country and had verbally attacked public officers.
UNFAIR
The leader of the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) had earlier told Parliament last Monday night it was 'unfortunate' that the NDP had "unfairly maligned the sound reputation" of the nation when it suggested that it had "overwhelming evidence" of electoral fraud and electoral irregularities "on a scale so large as to vitiate the verdict of the electorate".
"As Prime Minister, I take the false allegations most seriously. I assure this Honourable House, Mr. Speaker, that it has not heard the last from me on this most irresponsible conduct and utterances of the Opposition," Gonsalves had warned.
However, early last week Tuesday morning, NDP leader Arnhim Eustace told Parliament that it had also not heard the last of him on the issues.
"I want to say to the Honourable Prime Minister as he said yesterday that from his perspective this matter is not over. From mine, Mr. Speaker, it is not over either. I want to make that clear," Eustace had said before making his contribution to the budget debate.
Gonsalves, who practised criminal law across the region for over 20 years, accused members of the Opposition of tarnishing the reputation of the country and defaming public officials.
"Mr Speaker, the NDP said the elections were riddled with fraud," he said as he read three sets of comments he attributed to Opposition Senator Daniel Cummings, the former general manager of the state-owned Central Water and Sewage Authority.
