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Dear Sir:

When a court of law that is engaged in a trial, especially a jury trial of a criminal nature, the prosecutor is prohibited from tainting the minds of the jury with instance of past criminal activities while such empanelled persons are trying to ascertain the guilt or innocence of a defendant. It is prohibited to mention past offences of which the defendant was accused of committing or was convicted. It is important to note it matters not whether such offences were similar in nature or not. This is so for the simple fact that the jury must be made to consider the evidence and circumstances as it relates to the offence for which the defendant is being tried. A person’s past criminal and/or trouble making history does not automatically make him guilty of any allegations he may be facing.

It is important to note, however, that such information may come in handy if the person is found guilty of the offence or offences for which he is being tried. This is so for the criminal history is tangible evidence that will tell the judge and/or the jury of the level of effort the convicted person made to reform his or her behaviour or the lack thereof. To reiterate the main point here, the trial to determine a person’s guilt, level of guilt or innocence is based only on the evidence and circumstances surrounding the incident that constituted or resulted in the charge or charges for which the defendant is being tried.

On the 14th February 2013, Valentine’s Day (when the people are giddy or intoxicated with the thought of love and romance), Prime Minster Ralph Gonsalves held a press conference, where he declared that he did not know of his ailing and elderly mother Theresa Francis’ hefty withdrawal from the financially troubled Building and Loan Association. The question here is: at the time PM Ralph E. Gonsalves made that public declaration was he lying?

I will refrain from answering the above question, for the simple fact that I do not want to influence your opinion before I present the people’s case. The prime minister in his press conference had an opportunity to present facts and circumstances to prove that he did not know of his mother Theresa Francis’ withdrawal from the financially troubled Building and Loan Association; however, the prime minister did not but choose to ask Vincentians at home and aboard as well as the international community who find this story one of interest, to take him at his words. Even in the court of public opinion it takes more than words to prove or justify a person’s guilt and or innocence.

The fact that the prime minister had been secretly negotiating to replenish the finances of the financially troubled credit union, in hope that the trouble that today plagues the institution would have blown over without anyone knowing. The fact that he also lawfully established, a statutory regulatory body in the Financial Service Authority (FSA) to oversee the operation of the troubled institution was sign of his five-year effort to find a remedy the institution’s financial trouble.

It is widely known that Ralph E Gonsalves is a serious micro-manager and, as is his custom, he would have instructed the management of the Building and Loan Association, as well as the members of the newly formed FSA, to inform him of any major withdrawal, or if they were considering the granting of any major loans to any individual and or commercial entity. For any such withdrawal, as well as any large risky loans, may plunge the company deeper into the red and cause it to experience total operational failure.

Could Ralph E Gonsalves afford to have the Building and Loan going belly up on his watch? After such humongous failures such as the Marketing Corporation, the National Commercial Bank as well as other thriving iconic Vincentian industries such as St Vincent Bottlers Ltd (the Ju-c factory) all failing under his watch.

Was Ralph E. Gonsalves protecting his personal interest over a national institution?

Ralph E. Gonsalves’ behaviour, attitude and spoken expression have long convinced me that this man, the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines doesn’t care for and/or respect Vincentians. This is evident in the numerous insults he hurled at his constituents (the Vincentian community), the callous manner in which he conducts the affairs of state, the manner in which he use his authority to evade the local justice system after many solid criminal allegations were brought against him.

With all that said, do you think that Ralph E. Gonsalves is such a dignified and honourable man that he will sit back on information, knowing that his mother stands to lose over one million EC dollars, if the Building and Loan Association goes belly up, without whispering a warning to protect his inheritance?

We must not forget that Ralph E. Gonsalves is a primary beneficiary of his mother Theresa Francis’ estate; therefore, I am suggesting that this man does not love Vincentians or St Vincent and the Grenadines enough to sacrifice one penny of his inheritance to ensure the survival of a national treasure, the Building and Loan Association. Such selfless action would have been the action of a dignified statesman, who holds fast to a code of honesty and patriotism.

I must ask the following questions:

• Do you consider Ralph E. Gonsalves a statesman?
• Do you consider Ralph E. Gonsalves a dignified man?
• Do you consider Ralph E. Gonsalves an honest man?
• Do you consider Ralph E. Gonsalves a patriot?
• Do you believe that Ralph E. Gonsalves used confidential information obtained as the prime minister and minister of finance of St Vincent and the Grenadines to secure his inheritance and cause his dear ailing mother to withdraw her assets from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Building and Loan Association?

My people, here are the facts, you be the judge.

Allan Palmer

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jason :

Yes Dr Gonsalves can be trusted, he has proven to be on many occasion. You Allan continues to rant like Ralph own you some thing, your hatred envy, jealous way beyond politics. You want a more patriotic individual like Ralph. Aren't the government done enough to save those four entities you mention above? Look at the bank, formally NCB, now bank of St.vincent and the Grenadines, turn around and showing great strength. ECGC, in the process of purchasing Juc factory. We've witness the birth of Save A lot supermarket, formally Food City. Dishonest to put all of the blame wholly on Gonsalves, for the collapse of Bottlers St.vincent.

Mr. Palmer, Ralph will survive all the politcical attacks that seems to be heading his way. This nation of ours is praying for him night and day. What would it profit the NDP, to see the collapse of our economy, so they can achieve political power. Look at the news acrosss the globe, and see what is the taking place.

In spite of all the negative things that were said obout our economic performance. Can you please tell us sir, if the ULP government, during the pass 11 years since assuming office, fail to pay civil servant their salary?

All Mr. Eustace talks about doom and gloom. The economy will suddenly turn around when Eustace becomes prime minister. Pie will fall from the sky over night. Because the economic guru at the rescue.

For your information SVG Building and Loan Association will survive.

Peter:

It would be a natural reaction of a son to try and protect his mother.

I would not doubt for a minute that Gonsalves had major input in the withdrawing of his mothers money.

I would not believe for a moment that the family would of done such a thing without his knowledge or input.

To me it is unbelievable, some of you head-up-bum supporters would not believe it if he was caught with a shotgun withdrawing the money by force.

The other thing that runs through my mind, he told us he tells lies, telling the difference between truth and lies is most difficult in most cases, even more so in the case of Ralph E. Gonsalves.

Well, as ALLAN said, you be the Judges, make your own minds up.

Ice Cold:

And what makes these things facts. These are seemingly your opinion of the man Palmer.Your article is one without merit. Very poor and political piece full with malice. How has Ralph contributed to Ju-c going belly up. Ralph does not have the authority to command the FSA or Management to tell him of major withdrawals. This again is an opinion and not facts. This is an opinionated piece with no merit.

Allan Palmer :

People I beg of you to be careful, please don't accuse me of saying what I did not say. I have never said Ralph Gonsalves is responsible for the failure of the St. Vincent Bottlers Ltd. What I did say however, was the company failed under Gonsalves' watch,

However it is because of the policies, economic direction, and poor economic action and the lack of good policies, that created such a poor economic environment that creates an inability for companies such as The St. Vincent Bottlers Ltd. from being profitable.

It is clear that Ralph Gonsalves and his ULP government promotes policies that is hostile to the success of locally own and traditional conpanies as a result many of them are going belly up.

Jason, you mentioned the NCB whose name was change,please take note the success of the now St. Vincent and the Grenadines bank has nothing to do with the ULP, It is because of the stringent policies that the new owners and management impliment that may be customer unfriendly but give them (the management) an unconventional level of control over the savings and other investment of the members as well as sound business and banking practices that is causing them to see a profit.

If Gonsalves understood what was generally accepted Business Practice the NCB would have never reach on the brain of bankruptcy.

It is also important to know there is no way the NCB should lose money to the point where they becomes so indebted as what happened; if that institution observed just the basic management practice. Unfortunately under Gonsalves' leadership he mandated that his words, wishes, and poor idologies becames the policies and professional practice of the company. Thus the reason why the bank went into financial distress and hardly to be sold to save the bank.

Peter can you please tell these people not to get involve in discussion they are in capable of understanding.

jason :

Here we go again, dening the facts before him. They did what they had to, in order to save the bank. Isn't that so?

They knew the bank would emerge a better and stronger institution. The government didn't went about the whole process with out consulting a number of economists home and around the region, then a decision were made. Am happy, vincentians are happy, to see the bank profitable once more. I heard during the news broadcast today, the Eurozone economy will shrink further in 2013. Can Europe economic problem fix over night, sortenly not.

With all the big players at the forefront, and all the resources combined, still face an up hill battle. My point is, though we has our own economic challenges, yet we are pressing on.

Peter:

JASON, please stop making such hilarious blogs, you are making yourself look like a total fool again. Your stupidity goes before you.

You will be another that we will put in the hall of fame for blogging crap.

Its hard to believe with all that’s going on, how fast the moral decay is rotting out our whole society and how ULP supporters have been shafted by their leaders, that jerks like you still throw up such nonsensical rubbish.

Do you really think that everything you read about Gonsalves is something made up to make him look bad.