St Vincent PM released from hospital in Barbados

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has been released from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados after an MRI scan on Friday.

The Office of the Prime Minister is reported to have said Gonsalves said he is in good spirits and looks forward to being back home to celebrate his 75th birthday with Vincentians on Sunday.

SVG government senator Julian Francis told Parliament a woman has been arrested in connection with the assault on Gonsalves.

On Thursday, Gonsalves was wounded in the head by an object thrown at him during a protest against the Public Health Amendment Bill, which would require certain categories of employees in the central government and state enterprises to take covid19 vaccines in order to work in specified frontline jobs.

Vincentian news station News 784 said Francis had said, “I want to say a woman has been arrested; there may be more. She wanted to apologise to the Prime Minister.

"I said, 'No, she is not going in front of my political leader – to do what? Because you got locked up, you want to apologise? Go and apologise to the leader of the Opposition.'

"Let me tell you something: be careful what you do – social media is watching you. Sometimes it’s better than the police.”

In a statement to Parliament, St Vincent's finance minister Camilo Gonsalves said the prime minister would be flown to Barbados for an MRI on Thursday night.

President of the Opposition NDP Dr Godwin Friday is reported as saying, "We categorically reject violence in all forms and certainly I do not condone such acts.

"I wish a speedy recovery to the Prime Minister and the other persons who were injured in the protest. Let us use this sad event to reaffirm that we must never fight hate with hate.”

The Trinidad and Tobago government expressed concern over the assault on Thursday. In a WhatsApp message to Newsday, Caricom and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne said, “We are monitoring the developments closely. I have been in regular communication with both Minister Keisal Peters of SVG and the secretary general of Caricom during the course of this evening's events. I have conveyed the concern and prayers of the people of TT for PM Gonsalves.”

Caricom chairman Antigua and Barbuda PM Gaston Browne condemned the assault on Gonsalves.

In a statement on Friday, Browne said,“The assault was serious and almost fatal. As it is, Dr Gonsalves’ injury to his head is still being medically assessed.

"The introduction of violence into the political life of Caricom is shameful and deplorable and those responsible for it must be brought to justice with all due dispatch.

“The assault is even more shameful because it occurred as the Prime Minister was walking into the national parliament, the highest law-making body of the State, where a robust debate was taking place in full regard for democratic principles of dissent and discussion.

"There is no place for violence and personal physical assaults in our Caricom democracies where the rule of law prevails and rights, including the right to peaceful protests, are fully upheld.”

PM Browne said all law-abiding and well-thinking people of Caricom should “join in resolution that such gratuitous violence will not be tolerated in our peaceful societies. Our prayers are with Dr Gonsalves for a speedy recovery. He has been and remains an invaluable Caribbean son and leader, deserving of the greatest respect.”

The Belizean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said on Twitter: “Violence has no place in Caribbean politics. Belize condemns the attack on Rt Hon Ralph Gonsalves yesterday in Kingstown. We wish PM Gonsalves a speedy recovery.”

The Mexican Embassy in St Lucia said on Twitter the Mexican Government wished a speedy recovery to Gonsalves after the violent attack in Kingstown in which he was injured. It said Mexico reiterates its rejection of any act of violence.