A significant parliamentary dispute has erupted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines after House Speaker Ronnia Durham-Balcombe blocked three questions submitted by Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves for Thursday’s parliamentary session. The rejected inquiries included a six-part question regarding Prime Minister Godwin Friday’s son, Nicholas Friday, who serves as an unpaid aide to his father.
Gonsalves, a former prime minister, publicly challenged the Speaker’s decision on his Unity Labour Party’s radio station, Star Radio, reading aloud a formal letter of protest he had sent. The Speaker justified the rejection by citing parliamentary rules prohibiting questions covering multiple subjects or excessive length.
The core controversy centers on the appointment and role of the Prime Minister’s son in government affairs. Gonsalves sought detailed information about Nicholas Friday’s specific duties, appointment authority, meeting participation, access to official documents, potential benefits received, and whether any external entities contribute financially to his role.
Gonsalves emphasized this wasn’t a personal attack but a matter of institutional integrity: ‘These are fundamental questions of institutional democracy and governance.’ He warned that if ministers could appoint relatives without oversight, it would establish a dangerous precedent.
The Opposition Leader vowed to pursue the matter both inside and outside Parliament, stating: ‘You’re not going to be able to muzzle me… I want the speaker to understand that with clarity.’ He questioned whether this incident marked ‘the beginning of a creeping dictatorship,’ particularly noting that Durham-Balcombe has yet to preside over a full parliamentary session since her election on December 23.
The development represents an early test for the new Speaker and raises questions about parliamentary transparency and the boundaries of executive authority in the Vincentian democracy.