By Sue-Ann Wayow
ST Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonzales is heading to Barbados soon for medical treatment following an attack on Thursday.
The country’s Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves, the son of the prime minister, said in Parilament on Thursday evening that his father will be going to Barbados for an MRI scan.
He thanked Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley for helping with the arrangements.
In a release from the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday, the Office stated that Gonzales was presently recuperating at hospital.
According to the Office, at around 5.15pm, Gonzales was attacked by Opposition supports attempting to enter the House of Assembly.
Approximately 200 demonstrators blocked the entrance to the building and when the crowd prevented Gonzales’ vehicle from passing through, he came out of the vehicle and attempted to make it through on foot.
The protestors were against proposed amendments to the Public Health Act which would make vaccination for the Covid-19 virus mandatory.
The office stated, “An Opposition demonstrator then hurled a projectile at the Prime Minister which struck him in the head inches above the temple. The Prime Minister bleeding profusely was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Temple by his security detail where he was met by his wife.”
He remained at the hospital on Thursday night.
The office stated, “He has reaffirmed that no lawless mob will prevent him from doing the people’s business in the seat of our democracy…the Prime Minister welcomed all peaceful demonstration as a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution but cautioned that legitimate peaceful demonstration should in no way impede parliamentarian’s rights of entrance and egress from the House of Assembly.”
The release stated, “The use of violence in pursuit of political purposes is entirely unacceptable. We expect that the perpetrator of the actual act of violence will be brough to justice. Such an act is to be unequivocally condemned. Equally to be condemned are the instigators and back room authors of this kind of violence.”
