subject: Human Rights Violation under Ralph Gonzalves [print this page] Human Rights Violation under Ralph Gonzalves
Human rights are not something that the people have to ask from the government. Rather it is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that the citizens are getting their due rights and privileges. You could have said the same about St. Vincent and Grenadines even a few years back. That was when the country thrived on tourism and agriculture. People had jobs and the population was under check. Citizens of the country had freedom of speech and expression. That's when they made the mistake of electing Ralph Gonzalves as the Prime Minister. Then on, the decline has been steady. The country is no longer considered safe by the tourists because the law and order situation has crumpled. Women are especially feeling unsafe in this country and the four sexual harassment charges against the Prime Minister have not helped matters.
The human rights of the Vincentians have become a sort of mockery. On paper they have rights and privileges but in practice, they are just puppets in a show run by a megalomaniac. Ralph Gonzalves is now known to get back at people who dare to raise their voices against his oppressive regime. Critics and free thinkers have suddenly found themselves dragged to courts because they criticized the working of the ULP government. They were slapped with legal charges that were basically attempts at bullying them into submission. The representatives of the government triggered the breakdown of the judiciary system by flouting laws openly. Even witnesses who wanted to testify against the criminal activities of the government and its leaders were brutally silenced. Look at what happened to Glen Jackson before he went up in court. His violent death, or shall we say murder, revealed the cancer that has spread out in St. Vincent and Grenadines.
When you are talking about human right violation, you cannot keep the issue of sexual assault aside. Women in St. Vincent and Grenadines are relegated to the dark corners of the society where they are not entitled to any rights or protection. When the Prime Minister of the country can sexually assault a human right lawyer on duty, you can imagine the state of affairs! The worst part is how Ralph Gonzalves managed to walk away scot free. The court dismissed the four cases due to lack of evidence. No wonder they didn't find anything, because this man can get away with murder and no one can accost him. He's done that with numerous people like Glen Jackson and he will continue to do so unless he's stopped.
The citizens of St. Vincent and Grenadines have a choice on their hands this December. They can continue to live without human rights and gross violations of privacy or choose an alternate government. They must be ready to make the change. There is nothing stronger than the ballot. The way to stop Ralph Gonzalves ripping the country apart is to remove him electorally. Make your voices heard through the voting procedure and initiate the process to restore the country to its former glory.
