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‘EASY, NOW’ – LPM Leader Tells Gov’t on Ties With Venezuela, Cuba

POLITICAL Leader of the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM), Therold Prudent
POLITICAL Leader of the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM), Therold Prudent

POLITICAL Leader of the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM), Therold Prudent, has some words of advice for the government as it relates to their diplomatic posture with sister Caribbean states, Venezuela and Cuba. In short, Saint Lucia needs to tread lightly, he said, and not antagonize the United States in the process.

Speaking to The VOICE this week, Prudent said he was happy that the United States and Cuba have moved to normalize their relationship, ending a decades-long stalemate that created enmity and division.

“This is something that we need in our region because we need peace, tranquility and to know that the past wars of the Cold War era no longer exist here,” Prudent said.

Prudent said the LPM supports Venezuela in principle, adding that his was the only opposition grouping here to state that emphatically. He also renewed his political party’s caution to the Saint Lucia government.

“(They need) to take this approach to Venezuela in a measured way, to not be one-sided in its support for the Venezuelan government,” Prudent urged. “You have to make it clear that you’re supporting the people of Venezuela and not particularly a regime, which is what the Saint Lucia government seems to be doing at the moment. We must remember that Venezuelans are evenly split following the narrow margins after the last general elections.”

Following the death of President Hugo Chavez on March 5, 2013, Nicolas Maduro, who subsequently assumed the role of president, won the presidential elections held on April 14 that year. Maduro won 50.6% of the popular vote compared to his opponent and Governor of Miranda, Henrique CaprilesRadonski’s 49.1%. The slim 0.5% margin is now the closest presidential elections in the country since 1968.

During his presidential campaign, Radonski indicated that should he become president, ALBA and Petrocaribe would be scrapped and the money used instead to focus on the needs of the Venezuelan people. Prudent believes the Saint Lucia government needs to tread lightly in the diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

“So to discount the opposition in that country and the millions of people who are in opposition to the current administration, (it means) you are not doing justice because at the end of the day you will have a very difficult time dealing with Venezuela in the future should there be a change of regime over there,” Prudent told The VOICE.

Prudent accused the Saint Lucia government of having a “misguided approach” to its relationship with Venezuela in light of Petrocaribe and ALBA. He said that since Saint Lucia “brings nothing to the table” as an ALBA member, local authorities need to proceed with caution.

“The only government or party that is really making ALBA work for the moment is Venezuela,” Prudent said. “So we all are recipients of whatever goodies that the Venezuelan government is giving us at the moment. But what do we do tomorrow morning if there is a change in regime in Venezuela?”

Prudent also cautioned government against appearing antagonistic to the United States in relation to that nation’s not-too-friendly-at-times ties with Venezuela and Cuba. He said the steps taken by the United States against those countries – as well as Grenada — in the past were justified in protecting U.S. and other interests in the region.

In an article published last Saturday, Saint Lucia’s non-resident Ambassador to ALBA and Petrocaribe, Hippolyte E. Vitalis, said former American president Bill Clinton did not seem too interested in lifting the economic embargo that had been placed on Cuba over three decades before Clinton assumed office. Prudent said that since the former Soviet Union – a close ally of Cuba — did not officially dissolve until 1991, there would have been a transitory period that followed to iron out Cold War differences, of which Clinton played a role.

“There were lots of discussions going on with (Russian president) Boris Yeltsin as to how to safeguard all these nuclear weapons that were spread out throughout Europe,” Prudent explained. “So this was the priority, of course, for the American government. One has to understand, too, that during that period Bill Clinton and other politicians were concerned about their own elections and political interests back home.”

Prudent said the American debate regarding the tensions between the United States and Cuba would have matured over the years, culminating in President Barack Obama seizing on the right moment to extend the olive branch to Cuba. He said that while the United States has its own issues to deal with concerning the abridging of human rights, Venezuela and Cuba are also at fault.

Stan Bishop began his career in journalism in March 2008 writing freelance for The VOICE newspaper for six weeks before being hired as a part-time journalist there when one of the company’s journalists was overseas on assignment.

Although he was initially told that the job would last only two weeks, he was able to demonstrate such high quality work that the company offered him a permanent job before that fortnight was over. Read full bio...

17 Comments

  1. Prudent:

    What a load of double-talk. “Cuba is also at fault” ? about what ? Not allowing the Mafia to turn their island into a brothel for perverts ? Anytime the USA tries to destroy a country, the reason is always because that country has the peoples’ interest as the paramount objective policy; obvious situations with Cuba and Venezuela.

  2. Prudent, tell the Republicans about an Island called Saint Lucia and lets see what they say about foreign Aid to that Island…..Stop trying to sound clever by constantly pick on dead end topics.

  3. Holy Trifecta
    It looks like the Republicans are gonna control ALL 3 branches
    Poor jab les Malaway
    Well perhaps Troumasse mud pies are as tasty as Fond St Jacque labou souffle ?
    Let us pray!

  4. LaJahBless,
    Since you have not publicly refuted the points raised by your personal stenographer, Stan, I have taken up the mantle of chief fact-checker in de-bunking your propaganda:
    • “In short, Saint Lucia needs to tread lightly, he said, and not antagonize the United States in the process”
    How dare you project your cowardice when facing the big bully onto the St. Lucian populace?
    • “have moved to normalize their relationship, ending a decades-long stalemate that created enmity and division”
    How easily you characterize the aggressive bullying of Cuba by fascist USA as a mere stalemate, because the hoi polloi of Cuba did not wish their sovereignty to be usurped by the Mafia!
    • “…take this approach to Venezuela in a measured way, to not be one-sided in its support for the Venezuelan government…”
    Only someone who is narrowly focused on usurping the power of the people would not recognize that support of the Venezuelan government is naught but support of the Venezuelan people, who have installed the most democratic government in the world, to be honest stewards of their ideals.
    • “Maduro won 50.6% of the popular vote compared to his opponent and Governor of Miranda, Henrique CaprilesRadonski’s 49.1%. The slim 0.5% margin is now the closest presidential elections in the country since 1968”
    No matter how narrow the honest mandate, you have to respect the wishes of the Venezuelan people in electing a representative government that must remain focused in advancing the agenda of the majority over the narrow designs of neo-liberals and fascists.
    • “During his presidential campaign, Radonski indicated that should he become president, ALBA and Petrocaribe would be scrapped and the money used instead to focus on the needs of the Venezuelan people. Prudent believes the Saint Lucia government needs to tread lightly in the diplomatic relations with Venezuela”
    I would have thought that you would be lauding the democratically elected government, first under Chavez and then Maduro, for reducing the level of poverty in Venezuela, and still have the selflessness to share their gains with the peoples of the Caribbean basin!
    • “So to discount the opposition in that country and the millions of people who are in opposition to the current administration, (it means) you are not doing justice because at the end of the day you will have a very difficult time dealing with Venezuela in the future should there be a change of regime over there,”
    Opposition to what? You dare not stipulate! Let me help you: Opposition to lifting a majority of the Venezuelan people out of poverty, and setting them on a path to self-determination is a bitter pill to swallow for “chabeen” hogs like Prudent, who are anxiously waiting for their turn at the public trough in St. Lucia!
    • “the Saint Lucia government of having a “misguided approach” to its relationship with Venezuela in light of Petrocaribe and ALBA. He said that since Saint Lucia “brings nothing to the table” as an ALBA member, local authorities need to proceed with caution”
    Shorter, Prudent: “Beggars can’t be choosers…except if they choose to not accept alms from Venezuela”.
    • “Prudent also cautioned government against appearing antagonistic to the United States in relation to that nation’s not-too-friendly-at-times ties with Venezuela and Cuba. He said the steps taken by the United States against those countries – as well as Grenada — in the past were justified in protecting U.S. and other interests in the region.”
    Shorter Prudent: “The interests of multi-national corps of US origin are of paramount importance over the sovereignty of the peoples of the Caribbean basin who have endured deprecation of their humanity for over 400 years!”
    • “former American president Bill Clinton did not seem too interested in lifting the economic embargo that had been placed on Cuba over three decades before Clinton assumed office. Prudent said that since the former Soviet Union – a close ally of Cuba — did not officially dissolve until 1991, there would have been a transitory period that followed to iron out Cold War differences, of which Clinton played a role”
    Of what import are the narrow ambitions of a red-neck from Arkansas, over the patrimony of the blood and sweat of the peoples of African descent in the Caribbean basin? Awah! Prudent’s opinions are clouded by the entitlement he presumes from his “shabeen-ness”.
    • ” One has to understand, too, that during that period Bill Clinton and other politicians were concerned about their own elections and political interests back home.”
    See immediately above…Prudent reveals that his naked ambitions supersede the collective democratic power of St. Lucian citizens.
    • “tensions between the United States and Cuba”
    What tensions? Is Prudent trying to re-define the naked aggression of a fascist US in squelching the self-determination of the Cuban people (an un-warranted embargo for stifling their participation as a sovereign state) against former slave owners and the Mafia?

    Garçon, tell the people at the Voice to take your picture down! All people see is a face marked by blatant lies and personal ambition, against St. Lucians whom he wishes to still be chained by that slave mentality!

  5. Nudge, I could not have said it better. Excellent analysis, very profound and clearly stated. Nonetheless, you should not engage in personal attacks. Good job my brother.

  6. Why do we have ao many foolish people in this worlld. Do you honestly think that rubbish talk against the US will cause Mr Prudent to change his views?
    I Admire him for telling us the truth about what he believes in. At least his moderate views are more aligned to thst of thr vast number of St Lucians on this Issue.
    I rather a man who shows me his hands than a liftist bastard who turns into a hate monger after i havr given him my vote.
    hats off to Mr. PRUDENT. DONT GIVE UP DONT BACK DOWN!!

  7. Lincoln, you wrote: “I Admire him for telling us the truth about what he believes in. At least his moderate views are more aligned to thst of thr vast number of St Lucians on this Issue.”

    You are telling us that you admire him for telling you lies; and that his views (opinions, not facts) are shared by a vast number of Lucians , which if true, (I have no idea about your polling algorithm), means they’re just as gullible as you are, in believing lies.

    1. Choops! :Stupid.
      You are a hopeless propogandist for the left and anyone can see that. Your propoganda cannot find any root on this llittle rock of ours called St lucia. Sorry, we aint buying nonsense.
      So to sum it All up. You are in thr wilderness with this illogical point of view. Mr. Prudent in my view is the right man with the Correct approach . We are neither left nor right. All we are interested is taking care of ourselves and our Famalies.

      1. Lincoln,

        Your dictionary obviously has a different meaning to the word “illogical” than the one in use by the rest of the English-speaking world.

  8. Ras Biko,

    Please point out the personal attacks you mention – I would like to improve on that, if I may.

  9. What is being witnessed with people like Lincoln, is their undying loyalty to white supremacy, while Caucasians in the USA continue to murder them with impunity, treating them like the house niggers that they are; ignorant cannibalistic savages who drink the blood of a naked Caucasian nailed to a post who such disgraceful negroes proclaim to be god of the Universe.

    These are some very ill Africans whose greatest dream is to marry a pale skinned Anglican . Unlike the African Americans, who are in rebellion, negroes like Abraham Lincolm and Rick John Wayne are doing all they can to stay on the plantations as house niggers while praying to keep Caucasians as their loving masters.

  10. Such house niggers are adverse to truth and reason. But tell them that the Romans killed God and buried him under some big stones for three days they will love you and embrace you as another Sambo self hating slave of the so-called Whiteman.

    Be patient Nudge, because they will soon be dead and Hell will welcome these old fools and traitors for their adversity to Truth.

    Who taught these spineless critters to hate Cuba and Chavez and to kill Khadaffi?? The same Frenchman Christian terrorist now raping little African children in Central African Republic in the name of Jesus.

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