YouSaid · the spoken record

Ralph GONSALVES

lines on the record: 229
first: 2004-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 11
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Still, though, the values of our United Nations demand that women must be respected and empowered, that religious discrimination must be rejected, that theocracies accommodate competing voices, and that terrorism and political violence be not embedded in any statecraft. The sacred principles of non-intervention and non-interference ought not to be blind, perpetually or at all, to unacceptable and egregious excesses against humanity. Mr. President, a looming ecological disaster awaits humanity unless we change course, for the better.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Concerted, multi-lateral cooperation on global matters such as health, climate change, civil aviation, crime, and so forth requires all hands-on deck, metaphorically speaking. Taiwan is a relatively small, but legitimate, political expression of the magnificent Chinese civilisation; it has been an impressive economic miracle; it is a thriving democracy; and it has a right to ask for meaningful inclusion in the relevant global institutions. New times demand fresh solutions, not old-fashioned hegemonic responses. By now, Mr. President, the folly of invading and seeking to remake countries in an invader’s image and likeness is plain for all to see in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. The human and economic costs are staggering.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The refusal of Israel and its international backers to come to terms with the requisite of an independent Palestine, and a secure Israel, in accord with repeated resolutions of this august body; and, similarly, the refusal of the United States of America to dismantle the internationally unlawful, and crippling, economic blockade of Cuba, and to bring to an end the unjust, harsh, unilateral economic and financial sanctions against Venezuela and, to a lesser extent, Nicaragua. So, too, it is high time for this United Nations and its agencies to cease their exclusion of Taiwan from meaningful participation. Surely, the world will benefit from Taiwan’s inclusion in global bodes such as the World Health Assembly, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and INTERPOL.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Sadly, at least one country in the North Atlantic has refused to recognise Covishield for entry of persons into that country. Mr. President, not only have the ways of the old order, pre-COVID, tended, still, to guide powerful countries in their actions; so, too, the behemoths in global communications. These entities, enveloped in mega profits and profiteering, own and control the various internet platforms, with little or no public regulation, and have ignored or abandoned any real sense of responsibility for the anti-vax misinformation and disinformation which occupy cyberspace. As a consequence, real people die in their multitudes across the world. Surely, this irresponsibility must stop! Surely, too, many ancient and long-standing political quarrels ought to come to an end in these new, perilous times which humanity faces.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It is true, too, though relatively late in day, that some rich countries in the North Atlantic (USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom) have delivered or agreed to deliver, freely, from their surpluses, vaccines to some less developed countries; we are very grateful. Still, though, some of these countries may be so slow in their promised deliveries that they may end up, embarrassingly, with expired doses of the vaccines running into several millions. It is timely to remind all of us that the noblest form of solidarity is to give not from the abundance or surplus that we may have but from the little that we possess; that is the lesson of the proverbial widow’s mite. In this regard, on behalf of the Caribbean, I thank the government of the Republic of India for their early, and meaningful gift of Covishield Astrazeneca vaccines.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“’’This will not be easy for historic combatants or contemporary rivals to do; but it is the only choice that humanity has. In tackling the pandemic itself, the old ways have tended to predominate, even as the sunlit rays of a possible new path have emerged. Thus, for example, globally, we have witnessed unacceptable vaccine nationalism; the politicisation of the roll-out of the vaccines; and the roll-out of vaccines for the rich first and the poor afterwards. To be sure, we have also witnessed notable, and noble, work by some global institutions such as the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, and the COVAX Facility, to make vaccines more accessible to poor or marginalised countries.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“These have been the civilising sentiments expressed, from time immemorial, in the voices of wise Emperors and thoughtful warriors. These are humanity’s core values which constitute the bedrock upon which our United Nations organisation was originally built, and has been henceforth sustained. Faith in them, and accompanying works, will see us through these troubling times in which it appears that things are falling apart and the centre cannot hold. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the global community at the critical, proverbial crossroads. What is to be done? First, let us recognise, and internalise, the novel, historic juncture at which we are, and accept, generally, the sage poetic advice that two roads diverge in the woods; and we ought to take the one least travelled by; and that will make all the difference.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The metaphoric lions and lionesses, globally, ought to converse with each other meaningfully, rather than hanker for perpetual disorder, insecurity, and war; they do not actually need to lay down with each other in joyous embrace; they ought simply to resolve their differences, whether ancient or modern; and compromise, where necessary and desirable, in the interest of all. But for the sake of humanity, let us drop the vaunted self-interests, the vanities, and divisiveness — real or imagined, and work together, for the better. These are the ennobling impulses which prompted the ancient prophets and teachers of all the world’s monotheistic religions to summon their peoples, and their better angels, to uplifting purposes in this our Earthly City.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Immediately, all of us in this global family of nations, must work together to defeat COVID-19, return to an acceptable level of normalcy and the opening up of our economies. This represents a many-sided and enormous challenge of historic proportions in both diagnosis and prescription. A huge bundle of pre-existing, divisive and debilitating conditions ought to be efficaciously addressed; historic wrongs ought to be righted; and extant and emergent limitations and weaknesses, real or contrived, require appropriate correctives.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Vincent and the Grenadines, a small-island developing state with all its historical legacies of underdevelopment and contemporary burdens and limitations, has had to cope, additionally, with the devastating volcanic eruptions of April 2021, the on-rushing Atlantic Hurricane season, vaccine hesitance amongst the population, and real uncertainty about the future. Amidst all this, our people are nevertheless possessed of a settled resilience and optimism of life and living, undergirded by God’s redemptive grace, our own possibilities and strengths, a sterling regional solidarity, and promising internationalist support, inclusive of that of our United Nations, for peace and security, good health and prosperity for our people, as pledged in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Mr. President, Excellencies: We are convened at this 76th Session of the United Nations’ General Assembly at a time of severe health, socio-economic, political, climatic, and security challenges, globally, though unevenly, not in equal measure. The raging pandemic of COVID-19, which came upon us early last year, has put the world in a veritable tailspin, even as the roll-out of the vaccines has eased the strain somewhat, particularly in the developed world. A major shift has occurred in the global condition; a parallelogram of unruly and complex forces has been unleashed; a new paradigm has emerged; outmoded approaches are becoming, or have become, irrelevant; fresh initiatives and directions are required; and transformational leadership is needed, now more than ever. In my country, St.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“As we embark on a new decade of our collective journey, let us craft a more just and equitable world in which all nations and peoples participate meaningfully a measured apportionment of both burden and benefit. I Thank You.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The international campaign for reparatory justice, widely promoted by governments across our Caribbean Community and by social activists within the industrialized metropoles, must form part of any serious efforts to achieve the sustainable development agenda. Mr. President, As I conclude, I reiterate that, the complex, consequential and overlapping challenges facing our world today can only be resolved through inclusive multilateral solutions and comprehensive development strategies. Admittedly, in any collective struggle for peace or prosperity there are no easy victories. Yet, it is in our darkest moments, when these struggles seem insurmountable, that we must work together in unity and in solidarity, not in spite of, but precisely because, our distinct perspectives and interests necessitate that “we the peoples” work together.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, Amidst the thundering calls for racial and social justice, globally, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines affirms, yet again, that Black Lives Matter. During this International Decade for People of African Descent, the case for reparatory justice remains unanswerably strong. The legacies of underdevelopment arising from the genocide of our native Kalinago and Garifuna people, and the enslavement of African bodies prompt our just and legitimate demand for appropriate recompense, grounded in historical fact, contemporary reality, and international law, from European Nations and their successor Nation States in North America.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Accordingly, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reiterates the importance of addressing earnestly the question of Security Council reform — by, among other things, expanding the permanent membership to include our brothers and sisters from the African continent, by incorporating the nuanced perspectives of small island states as a continuously rotating fixture, and by upgrading the working methods of this august, but historically-shackled, body to reflect the realities of the modern world. This issue continues to occupy the attention of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the Security Council where my country has forged a strong partnership with the three non-permanent members from Africa, in what has become known as the A3+1. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In a similar vein, the constructive and pragmatic intergovernmental engagement of Taiwan, as a responsible advocate for sustainable development and an exemplar of the magnificent Chinese Civilization, validates the case for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the specialised agencies and bodies of the United Nations. Mr. President, The complex challenges of the 21st Century will not be solved by military means or by a quest for hegemony. While those who sell weapons have been traditionally positioned to broker peace, we cannot expect to use outdated tools to address effectively contemporary exingencies.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Syria and Yemen are arguably two of the biggest catastrophes in the world which require constructive forms of multilateral engagement that yield people-centred solutions with full respect for international law. I feel sure that interested regional powers yearn for peace and stability in Yemen and Syria. Mr. President, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reaffirms its solidarity with the Palestinian people whose daily existence remain marred by the persistent threat of illegal annexation. Honouring the Palestinian peoples’ long held quest for self-determination and statehood by revisiting the question of full membership at the United Nations is a matter that is long overdue, and an essential component of a lasting Two-State Solution in the quest for a sustainable peace in the Middle East.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Such is the absurd contradiction that those who employ the human rights mantra as a guise for unilateral action would wilfully deprive millions of people, living in countries near and far, of their right to dignity and development by deploying the most debilitating foreign policy tools. The immense suffering of the people of Syria, as a result of a conflict that they did not choose, and geopolitical forces over which they exert no influence, stands as a prime example of the paradox of humanitarian intervention. In similar fashion, the convergence of a parallelogram of contradictory forces in Yemen has precipitated a humanitarian crisis of monumental proportions.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, The continued use of the illegal and inhumane economic embargo on the Republic of Cuba, and the unilateral economic sanctions imposed for the purpose of stoking social unrest as part of an externally-driven “regime change” agenda in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela are but two egregious examples of how the norms and principles of international law are desecrated for sake of power and self-interest. Despite their own serious challenges, the governments and peoples of Cuba and Venezuela continue to stand as models for camaraderie and solidarity, dispatching medical brigades and essential supplies in response to COVID-19.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“These detrimental impacts, already disproportionately felt across the Global South, stem from sharp declines in remittances; significant disruptions of trade, travel and other economic activity; and the negative effects on social welfare, as limited resources are diverted to save lives. For small island developing states, without predictable and reliable financing through concessional loans, without scaled up development assistance, and flexible and innovative forms of debt-relief, we risk falling further behind — unable to safeguard our human development agenda or provide necessary social protections to many of our people. To avert these grim prospects, ambitious reform of the international financial architecture that takes into account our Small Island States’ Exceptionalism is urgently needed. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, As a small island developing state faced with an exceptional and unique admixture of existential circumstances, ranging from our inherent vulnerabilities as a small open economy with porous borders, to the legacies of underdevelopment left in the wake of European settler colonialism, native genocide, the enslavement of Africans, and the indentureship of Madeirans and Indians, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has made tremendous strides to advance meaningfully a progressive and people-centred development agenda. Yet, despite our best efforts, the disastrous economic implications of a global COVID-19 recession threatens to stymie our advances.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The list is long and includes: unilateralist sanctions; weaponising of the trade, banking and financial system; the misuse and abuse of so-called “blacklists” by developed countries against developing ones; the unilateralist termination of correspondent banking relations on purely spurious, and hypocritical, grounds; the breaking of international law, willy-nilly, to serve narrowly nationalist interests on this or that issue, including the existential matter of climate change; and the relegation of Small Island Developing States to the expendable margins of the global political economy. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This is not merely a technical exercise but a profoundly political one of the first order in which this revitalised compact is efficaciously fashioned on the fertilised soil of genuine commitment among all nations. Let us thus lift Lift Humanity Higher! In this regard, powerful states must roll back their unilateralist, unwholesome and prejudicial, constraints on weaker nations.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Thus, internally in our societies, we ought in the current altered condition, to build a social individual, not an atomised one; this social individual necessarily, has to be grounded in the requisite of social solidarity. Across nations, too, we must initiate and build a fresh compact of enduring solidarity, as we in our Caribbean Community (CARICOM), have done with much success, despite a limitation of resources. Our United Nations, and its specialised agencies, are the locales for the construction of an ambitious, renewed global compact, not of world government, but of a genguine community of nations through a bona fide multilateralism, grounded in international law.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Right reason and mature reflection teach that over the past 50 years of the dominant human civilization, and its appending off-shoots, there has been an explosion of individualism and freedom engendered by a huge enlargement of personal, financial, technological, and social spaces. Atomised individualism has been elevated as the appotheosis of progress; and social solidarity has become frayed, tattered, and diminished as a public good. So, along comes a pandemic and the atomised individual has to rely on the prudent and collective good behaviour of his neighbors to stay healthy. This circle cannot be easily squared in an individualistic, dog-eat-dog social order; and, metaphorically, all hell has broken loose.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We are still quarelling about inconsequential matters, insisting on too many sideshows, and casting our gaze askance away from the main events, metaphorically. It is a truism, repeatedly ignored by powerful nations globally and ruling classes in dominant countries, that our central global challenges cannot be solved in isolation of each other or only on the terms of the powerful. Yet the old reflexes kick in, harming inevitably the strong and the weak, though not in equal measure. So, we end up, metaphorically, with a proud man who is ignorant of that which he is most assured.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Even if, in this instance of COVID-19, the international community rises to the challenge and confirms that faith and good intentions without practical works is an illusion, would this be only an episodic response which leaves the pre-existing global order in place until the next, and inevitable, pandemic arises? This irrational dangerous cycle has to be reconfigrured with a global consensus not merely to “build back better” but to build back optimally and enduringly for all of humanity’s sake. Fundamentally, Mr. President, the old order is passing away before our very eyes as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new one is yet to come into being; indeed, there is not in place even a transition to a better, optimal, and enduring condition.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Or would its distribution be so skewed within, and across countries, that there is likely to arise a deafening roar that: “Only Rich Lives Matter?” The good intentions of our United Nations and its specialised agencies such as the World Health Organisation may nibble away at the inequity of a skewed outcome but their impacts are likely to be only marginal unless there is an enforceable, international rules-based compact between all countries and major pharmaceutical companies to deliver universally and affordably the fruits of science and human ingenuity. It cannot be the usual result of corporate profits ahead of people’s lives, livelihoods, social solidarity, and security.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“To be sure, human ingenuity and science will produce a vaccine within the next few months or a year and the COVID rate of infection, hospitalisation and deaths will come down globally. But haunting questions remain: Would the vaccine be available cheaply and universally to all peoples the world over?”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In this regard, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pays tribute to all frontline workers and first responders — our “Capeless Heroes” — whose selfless contributions and sacrifices have kept many of us safe throughout this pandemic. We also extend our sympathies to the many families who have endured suffering throughout this ordeal. We stand with you as you honour the memories of your loved ones. We must “Keep the Faith”, and more. Mr. President, The simple truth is that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a profoundly altered condition of life, living, and production. None of the awesome challenges arising from this altered condition can be solved by incrementalism or a minimalist pragmatism which merely tinkers with the pre-existing poltical economy.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, COVID-19 has laid bare the indisputable fact that coordinated multilateral action to achieve the sustainable development goals is the surest pathway to global peace and security. In our increasingly interconnected and hyper-globalised world, we protect ourselves when we safeguard our neighbours. Indeed, peace and security are the ideals of a collective identity, moulded through stable relationships. The urgent challenges of our times cannot be solved by building walls, nor can they be effectively addressed by retreating to a corner of nationalistic isolationalism. We must build bridges. And we must stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters throughout the world as we lift each other up from COVID-19.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Amidst the rising tides of Climate Change; the scourge of desertification and land degradation, including in the Sahel; the challenges to biodiversity; the social, political and economic inequities of the global economy; and the uneveness and contradictions of a lopsided multilateral system in which the norms and rules are conveniently applied and upheld in favour of the powerful, the bellowing calls for global reform and a renewed multilateralism reverberate ever more loudly. We are indeed at an important crossroad. A well-functioning United Nations, fit for the purpose of safeguarding the bedrock principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and political independence of all states, while addressing the critical issues of our times, is urgently needed. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates and Friends, Seventy-Five years ago, our predecessors founded this noble institution as the primary international platform to promote dignity, security, and freedom for all. Crafted in the midst of seething political tensions and the immense human suffering wrought by preceding global wars, our United Nations has served as humanity’s most credible attempt at securing a peaceful and prosperous future for all nations and peoples. Yet, as we convene today against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic — the likes of which we have not experienced in over a century — the future we want and we all rightfully deserve, appears in grave jeopardy.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The proper responses to those challenges are a reinvigorated Assembly, a recommitment to principle and international law and a renewed focus on the diverse voices of all Members of our noble institution.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Our small islands, mere irrelevant pebbles in the eyes of some of the large, rich and powerful who ought to know better, must now form part of the new foundation of international cooperation. Our challenges must be acknowledged, and our voices, long humoured but unheard, must be listened to as consistent advocates on behalf of people, progress, partnership and principle. Too often the founding principles of the United Nations, like small island States, have been cast aside in the precipitate pursuit of convenient or expedient solutions. Too often the world has come to regret such reckless haste. Today we must recognize the folly of assuming that our Organization’s institutions can withstand the challenges of unilateralism, isolationism and inactivity.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We support it with the belief that problems have solutions; with our love of peace and abhorrence of war; our reliance on the timeless principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and non-intervention; our confidence in systems of global governance based on transparent rule-making and equitable enforcement, irrespective of power disparities; and an unshakeable conviction, as enunciated by Martin Luther King, Jr., that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a country with a small population, a small economic footprint, a small geographic area and a magnificent part of our legitimate and authentic Caribbean civilization.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“So, too, must we right the historic wrong of the exclusion of Africa and others from permanent membership. We thank the General Assembly for voting so overwhelmingly to repose its trust in us. We ask for its continued support. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines based its Security Council campaign on the assumption that we are friends to all and strive for a better world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“This year Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was proud and humbled to be elected by the General Assembly to serve as a non-permanent member on the Security Council. Our overwhelming mandate remains an important endorsement of our nation’s historic quest to become the smallest nation ever seated on that important global peacemaking body. More importantly, it is an unequivocal acknowledgement of the right and ability of small island States to participate meaningfully in the weightiest matters at the core of the raison d’être of the United Nations. We hope that our presence will buttress the view of the overwhelming majority of nations that the membership and working methods of the Security Council should be reformed to reflect current global realities and the invaluable perspectives of small island developing States.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Some of our allies, such as Taiwan, have been exemplary in offering their perspectives and support to our development aspirations, and have proved time and again that they are more than deserving of a meaningful role in the specialized agencies and bodies of the United Nations. Indeed, South-South cooperation is moving increasingly from the periphery to centre stage of the global political economy, to the benefit of SIDS such as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The President’s well-chosen thematic focus on inclusion and multilateralism is an apt encapsulation of the ambitious attempts of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to advocate for its right to be seated and heard at the highest levels of multilateral decision-making.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Similarly, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines wishes to formally place the issues of de-risking and the loss of correspondent banking relations firmly on the agenda of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. Well-meaning but ill-fitting regulatory attempts to combat terrorism and money-laundering have had the unintended effect of making it prohibitively expensive for banks to operate in small island locations. The flight of those banks and the withdrawal of relationships with other financial institutions threatens to disconnect island States from international trade and commerce, with disastrous consequences for development. International cooperation is essential to addressing these vexing challenges of modern globalization and sustainable development.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In other words, we must continue always to be hewers of wood and drawers of water and not use our brains to do things. It is self-evident that opaque, non-inclusive and undemocratic entities are presuming to impose an illegitimate rule-making authority on island States in the hope that their financial sector will collapse under the weight of onerous regulation, rapidly changing requirements and the threat of unilateral blacklists. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is under no illusion. Our financial-services sector and those of our Caribbean brothers and sisters are experiencing a synchronized political assault masquerading as an objective bureaucratic regulatory exercise. Let us be clear about that.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The constant bullying by ruffians — and the original meaning of the word “ruffians” is “bully boys” — particularly the ruffians who are the bureaucrats of the European Union, has revealed that the unambiguous objective of the European Union is not well-regulated Caribbean financial centres but a decimated and discredited sector, while it panders to the thriving centres that exist within its own borders or in other more powerful locales. The war being waged on legitimate commercial activity in the Caribbean by the European Union traffics in outmoded stereotypes and is accompanied by the unmistakable whiff of a paternalistic bias that romanticizes the Caribbean servant or subsistence labourer but instinctively rejects the concept of a Caribbean banker.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Undoubtedly, the rapidly shifting medical and legal landscape will eventually require the international community to revisit the long-standing treaties governing the use of and trade in cannabis. In the interim, it is crucial that the enforcers and interpreters of those international agreements refrain from a brand of hard-line orthodoxy that disproportionately affects small States, while accommodating a disdainful disregard for the law on the part of more powerful nations. The General Assembly must stand resolutely against the thinly veiled war being waged on small island developing States on the pretext of combating tax evasion and reducing so-called illicit financial flows.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Alongside our continuing efforts to engender growth and development through greater investments in agriculture, education, health, housing, tourism and the blue economy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has established a well-regulated, export-oriented medical-cannabis industry that seeks to marry the latest scientific and pharmaceutical knowledge of cannabis with the long-standing expertise of our traditional cultivators of the plant. In defining the parameters of our medical-cannabis sector, we have made great efforts to scrupulously comply with international law, while taking into account the specific needs and characteristics of our country, culture and people.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Caribbean nations will continue to push patiently but insistently for acknowledgements and actions to remedy this colossal historical injustice. This justifiable demand for compensatory resources to repair the legacy of underdevelopment that is the consequence of native genocide and the enslavement of African bodies is urgent and compelling. It is linked inextricably to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and their financing. The eradication of poverty and the deepening of sustainable, people-centred development remain my Government’s central drivers. Amid the ominous ubiquity of climate change, the unpredictability of escalating trade wars and the daily uncertainties of erratic global policy shifts, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines must seek increasingly creative pathways in pursuit of its people’s right to development.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“This is a concrete proposal for further uplifting the goals and targets of the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent. Africa’s centrality is a core feature of CARICOM’s public policy. Those efforts add to the political and administrative structure and respond to the abiding yearning for reconnection manifest in the Caribbean Community’s formal demand for reparative justice for the crimes of native genocide and African slavery. As increasing numbers of venerable private institutions come to terms with the myriad ways in which they profited from or contributed to the transatlantic slave trade, the Governments of many States continue to dodge and dissemble when confronted with the indisputable evidence of their past actions and current impact.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“This year, after separate visits to the Caribbean by our brother Presidents of Ghana and Kenya that captured the region’s imagination, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) approved the establishment in principle of an Africa-Brazil-Caribbean diaspora commission for further practical development with the African Union, Brazil — which is home to more than 100 million people of African descent — the 25 members of the Association of Caribbean States, and the African diaspora elsewhere, particularly North America and Europe. The Africa-Brazil-Caribbean diaspora commission places the fractured global might of peoples of African descent within a single institutional framework. Within that unity is undeniable and untapped strength.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“This year, as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines celebrates the fortieth anniversary of its reclamation of independence from a lengthy but temporary colonial rule of 216 years, it is continuing the process of removing historical blinders, reassessing its challenges and opportunities and renewing its linkages with continental Africa.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Without hyperbole, we must now all recognize that the Palestinian peace process is mortally wounded and near death. Our silence is complicity in the increasingly brazen unilateral usurpations of international law. Neither a two-State solution nor regional peace can survive the ongoing disavowals of bedrock agreements and the enabling silence of our international community. The Palestinian people deserve more than lip service and hand-wringing. The General Assembly and the Security Council must be heard unambiguously on this matter.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The solutions to the conflict in Venezuela are well known, as are those for other conflicts — facilitating peaceful dialogue, refraining from outside interference or threats of intervention and ensuring firm adherence to the principles of the Charter, including respect for sovereignty. Those who advance a different agenda are acting against the interests of the Venezuelan people and are becoming witting or unwitting co-conspirators in undermining multilateral diplomacy. The vulgar and unjustifiable imperialist weaponizing of trade and the banking system must be condemned by all right-thinking nations anxious to uphold internationally agreed, rules-based global trade and financial systems as fundamental to peace, security and prosperity.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)