Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday, has described St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) as being in “a failed state situation” at the time his New Democratic Party (NDP) took office not yet six months ago.
He also said that the economic situation in SVG is challenging but the government is making headway.
“I’ve been working continuously, practically since I got this new job, and we’ve been seeking to essentially manage the situation that we inherited…while at the same time delivering what people need, what they tell us that they need,” Dr. Friday said on HOT 97.1 FM’s AM Mayhem radio programme on Friday, April 10, 2026.
“…the point is, the matter is this, we have inherited a country where the financial situation…is dire….During the time that we’ve been here, we have been taking assessment of it in the broad scope, in terms of the central government finances, in terms of…growth projections, what we have…,determining what kind of revenue the government will have, looking broadly also at not just central government, but the statutory boards and companies and so forth, how they’re performing, because all of these things have been put in place to perform certain functions of government,” the prime minister said.
He added that he recently observed Kingstown and thought about giving concessions to deal with aesthetics.
“…just the look of Kingstown…I’m saying maybe I have to give a concession, tell everybody, we giving you some paint…at least let the place look…make people spirit lift,” Dr. Friday said, while adding that the previous administration once mentioned that they would make the country ungovernable and they seemed to have kept that promise.
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