As St. Vincent and the Grenadines celebrates its 46th anniversary of political independence from Great Britain, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves wants nationals to “own the future.”
“My simple message to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the occasion of the 46th anniversary of our country’s reclamation of its independence on Oct. 27, 1979, is: ‘Own the Future,’” said Gonsalves in a message to nationals in the Diaspora, conveyed in the souvenir journal of the Brooklyn-based Vincentian umbrella group in the US, Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, U.S.A., Inc. (COSAGO), as it celebrated its Annual Independence Gala and Scholarship Award, in conjunction with the New York Consulate General, at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach, Queens, on Sunday, Oct. 26.
“’Own the Future’ in love, in solidarity, in unity and caring, in our collective interests,” the prime minister added. “Remember always an elemental truth: Of all time, only the future is ours to uplift further, or to desecrate; the present is the past; and the past possesses satisfactions and dissatisfactions, triumphs and defeats, successes and failures.
“To be sure, we cannot alter the past; we must use the past and the present to uplift ourselves further in the future and avoid its desecration,” he continued. “These are vital considerations always, but especially so at a time when in the not-too-distant future, the people will be called upon to exercise the democratic choice in general elections to elect a government to lead us into the future.”
Stating that elections have consequences “for good or ill,” Gonsalves said that, by nothing, the future would be desecrated.
“Do everything to facilitate the uplifting of our future,” he urged. “So, choose wisely; take no risks; take no chances; make no gamble in these challenging times of turmoil around us generated from external forces, amidst our country’s fragilities and vulnerabilities arising from the condition of being a small-island developing state.”
The Vincentian leader noted that, since the country reclaimed independence in 1979, “the Family of Labor (the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Labor Party and the Unity Labor Party) has been in government for nearly 30 years thus far, out of the 46 years of independence and sovereign control of governance.”
He said that, during this period, the Labor administrations under the Founding Father Robert Milton Cato (October 1979 to July 1984) and he (March 2001 to the present) have, “in communion with the people, chalked up impressive achievements in the life, living, and production of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
The prime minister said “Labor” has constituted the government for almost two-thirds of the years since independence.
“Almost everything of great value in our country has been built under the leadership of ‘Labor’ in communion with a determined, resilient, and magnificent people,” he said, stating that he has been prime minister for nearly 25 years – more than half of the country’s “independence years.”
During this time, Gonsalves said, “amazing uplifting transformations have occurred to the people’s enduring benefit.”
He said previous prime ministers, the late Sir James Mitchell (July 1984 to October 2000) and Arnhim Eustace (October 2000 to March 2001) of the New Democratic Party (NDP) made their contributions, too.
“Sir James, sadly, is no longer in our Earthly City and cannot aid his successors in the NDP as he did in the previous five elections since 2001,” Gonsalves said. “They are on their own; the people will judge them soon, by themselves, without any crutch whatsoever.
In “Owning the Future”, he said leadership matters, adding that “elections have consequences in facilitating a further upliftment of the future or its desecration.”
Gonsalves said the leadership required must have “energy and will, vision and skill, plus the X-factor of drawing out of the people their high qualities, goodness, nobility, and solidarity, oftentimes doing so in circumstances in which the people may not as yet know that they possess such goodness, nobility, and solidarity for individual and collective advancement.
“Such a leadership must encourage, always in practical terms, the young people to soar like eagles with their wings unclipped; must assist in lifting the consciousness of our people to know and affirm that although we are not better than anyone, no one is better than us; and must seek, always, to engage the people in their acceptance that, despite their satisfactions, they ought, in solidarity, to lift their game so as to ensure an even better life and living,” he added.
“Only tried and tested leadership, armed with the requisite skills and possessed of a compelling developmental narrative, who have been beaten on the anvil of experience and forged in the cauldron of struggle can assist, optimally, in continuing to achieve these mighty deeds,” the Vincentian leader continued. “Most of all, the people matter.
“Selfish individualism must be eschewed; an uplifting social individualism, in solidarity, ought always to be promoted,” he said. “We must develop our God-given talents and gifts; take advantage of the abundant opportunities for education, training, and work; avoid indolence and laziness; work in a disciplined and productive manner, and insist on just economic rewards for your labor; be good-neighborly, law-abiding, peaceful, caring, and God-fearing. And please take care of your family, and those who depend on you.”
In her Independence Message, Permanent Representative to the United Nations I. Rhonda King said that St. Vincent and the Grenadines was celebrating its anniversary at a “consequential moment.”
“As wars rage across the globe and disease troubles the human family, we also mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations — an institution born from global conflict with the promise of preventing future suffering,” she said. “Today, as conflicts multiply and the international order strains, we are reminded that the work of building a just and peaceful world must be renewed by each generation.
“Celebrating our identity means honoring our journey,” Amb. King added. “We are a resilient people, shaped by the shortest period of slavery in the Caribbean. Ours is a history that underscores both our resistance and our refusal to be defined by oppression.
“We have crafted a distinctly Vincentian identity: principled and pragmatic, rooted yet engaged with the world,” she continued. “In an increasingly fragmented world, our identity offers something essential. It reminds that size does not determine significance, that the vulnerable have voice, and that moral clarity matters.”
The UN envoy said, “inspiring our future requires carrying this identity forward into uncertain times.”
She said St. Vincent and the Grenadines has always “punched above its weight through moral leadership and principled advocacy: for climate justice, for reform of international institutions, for the rights of small island developing states.
“This is the future we must continue to inspire,” King urged. “It must be a future where every voice counts and where dignity is upheld.”
Reflecting on the country’s journey as a sovereign nation since Oct. 27, 1979, Consul General to the United States Rondy “Luta” McIntosh also urged nationals to “acknowledge and celebrate the invaluable contributions of our Diaspora—whose unwavering commitment and patriotism continue to uplift our people both at home and abroad.”
He said COSAGO has played “a pivotal role in this ongoing effort.”
“Your dedication to supporting our athletes at the prestigious Penn Relays year after year is a shining example of your commitment to youth development and national pride,” said McIntosh in his Independence Message to the nation at the Gala Ceremony in Queens. “The logistical and financial assistance provided to our young athletes not only helps them compete on the world stage but also nurtures their aspirations and promotes the Vincentian spirit of excellence.
“In addition, your Independence activities and other Diasporic engagements have become more than just a community-building initiative—it serves as a meaningful platform for raising awareness and resources to support causes that benefit both the Vincentian Diaspora and our people back home,” he added. “The advent of your Scholarship Awards program is another shining example of your dedication to youth development.
“These efforts reflect the unity, resilience, and compassion that define who we are as a people,” McIntosh continued. “Whether through advocacy, cultural preservation, educational support, or humanitarian outreach, COSAGO demonstrates an admirable level of leadership, coordination, and service.
“On behalf of the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I thank you sincerely for your enduring contributions to nation building,” he said. “As we celebrate this milestone, let us remain committed to working together—across oceans and borders—for the advancement and prosperity of all Vincentians.”
