KINGSTOWN, St Vincent — Leader of the opposition Arnhim Eustace said that he was making a stand for democracy when he did not sit, as ordered by the Speaker, during the meeting of the House of Assembly in St Vincent and the Grenadines last Thursday.
Police threw opposition legislators out of the House of Assembly after they disobeyed Speaker Hendrick Alexander’s command to take their seats.
It was the latest in the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) attempt to pressure the ruling Unity Labour Party to withdraw proposed controversial changes to the Representation of the People’s Act (RPA).
The proposed changes, if they become law, will absolve politicians from criminal responsibility for untoward statements against each other during election campaign.
The changes will also nullify pending court judgments and the possibility of unseating, before the next general elections, the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration, which has a one seat majority in Parliament.
“I just refused to sit,” Eustace said on his party’s radio programme on Monday.
“I wasn’t in any way abusive. I didn’t display any disorderly behavior. I simply refused to sit,” he said.
He repeated the NDP’s position that the proposed amendments are “undemocratic [and take] away the rights of people”.
He said the government was prepared to change the law “just to protect themselves.”
“…If you have done nothing wrong, face the court,” he said.
The NDP has rallied its supporters in picketing Parliament and the Office of the Prime Minister to show its disapproval of the bills.
“I just want to say to all and sundry, the protest is not finished. We will announce soon exactly what our next steps will be. I go no further on that at this time,” he said.
Eustace drew parallels between the uprising in North Africa and developments in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
“…dictators were allowed to flourish and flaunt and make their own laws for year, taking away the freedom of the people of their countries and now, the people are coming back for their rights. But, we don’t want St Vincent to come to that stage. So, any person with dictatorial tendencies, or any … dictator who wants to come and take away our rights, we are going to always stand up. … Each time you give up a right, you are worse off and we will stand for that,” Eustace said.
He noted that some might not support the steps taken by the NDP.
“Everybody may not agree with our tactics, there are people who say I am wrong because I stood up. That’s their right to say so. I stood up to protest what I consider a bill which is injurious to our democracy and is a symbol of creeping dictatorship in our country. That is why I refuse to sit. I make no apology for it.
“We in St Vincent and the Grenadines, we have to stand up when things are wrong. I am not saying that if you are in the ULP to leave the ULP. … In the same way, if the NDP was in office, I would expect people to stand up if we did something that was wrong. That is our objective. We cannot have people’s rights taken away. … We must safeguard our court system. We must safeguard the rights of individuals, and in so doing, we will safeguard our democracy,” Eustace said.
The controversial law was sent to a select committee of the House of Assembly.
arhnim useless is such an idiot… you in the the house of democracy and still say you fighting for it..people elected these idiot to represent them ,not being an ass..when i look back at these people saying the ruling party is dictatorship ,i wonder what happen when they was in power for 17 years..those was the worst years of my life growing up in country with no opportunity ,now ralph liberate us with more chances of getting a better education, to understand whats going in our country…thank you ralphie for your caribbean patriotism…
I will post the video proving that THE NDP WERE RUDE AND OUT OF LINE!!! that was not Democracy that was stupidity serious talk they are like big old kids
As promised http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/13061227
see and judge for your self.
Big men acting like lil RUDE children.
I think you stood for “Hypocrasy” and not “Democracy”, stupid.
According to Mr. Arnhim Eustace, the proposed changes to the Representation of the People’s Act is just the first step to absolve the culprits/criminal politicians from holding them responsible for their corrupt deeds. No doubt, that’s the kind of legislation that our leaders are likely to embrace in order to secure their best interest. I firmly suport any one who stands up for true DEMOCRACY. We should never allow the rulling party, or any politicians to pass laws that would vindicate their corrupt practices. It’s like giving them a blank check to do wrong, and it’s likely to come back and haunt your freedom. Again, what I know? I’m just the lougaoo who sips tea in the early morn’ by the Sout City river
too bad our people don’t stand for democracy in d/ca,,,, they are witnessing a creeping dictatorship but yet decides to plant a blind eye,,, i want u all to remember that majority of dictatorships came in fruitition from the blessings of the majority,,,, so to say 18-3 18-3,,,,, has no justification that all is well in dominica,,, open up allu eyes n minds,,, the val finish,,, shake the psychological drunkness off allu heads n think straight
Well said mouth of the south, Ben Ali and Mubarak had a majority.
Dam fool you are thats why your mouth is sooooooooooo big!
i challenge u to an open debate,,, u n ur ilk cannot put up a fight even if my hands n feet were tied
To mouth of the south
Sometimes i wonder if you think before you make your comments. First off your opening statement
“too bad our people don’t stand for democracy in d/ca,,” why is it when you have your idiotic beliefs
you generalize it to include all Dominicans. I do not think you understand what Democracy is. You are the one with the problem not accepting that the majority of Dominicans voted for the party of their choice to form the Government they want weather it is 21-0, 15 -6 or 18- 3 what is it you cannot understand about that, well that is what Democracy is, a Government by the people for the people. Yes you may not like the Government that is fine, but the people have spoken that is the Government they want.
Why is it that you believe if a Government wins an election by a majority that it is Dictatorial or it leads to a Dictatorship. When you make the statement ,, “i want u all to remember that majority of dictatorships came in fruitition from the blessings of the majority, ” that is not necessary true at all. A great majority of Dictators come through the so called “back door” military coup d’état, some by Monarchy, or by a Political System, example such as Communism. Yes of course Governments can be elected by a majority and them produce a Dictator, as example Adolf Hitler he was elected with a majority but that is not how the Majority of Dictators come to power.
Oh by the way if the UWP had won the elections by a Majority would you still have a had a problem trying to understand that.
mouth of the south is just a damn fool dats all
Mr Arnhim and others like him must first respect their peoples’ wishes whenever elections don’t favour their parties. That’s the first step to standing for democracy. To attempt to create chaos and public disorder can hardly be considered as standing for democracy. I cannot and will never support any government that attempts to trample its peoples’ rights/ freedoms, nor can i support any politician(s) who in their determination to get into power would create problems just to stir up a rebellion in their country for their own selfish gains. Democray is alive in the eastern caribbean.