KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says claims by the leader of the main Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) Anhim Eustace that the December 9 general elections had been stolen is part of a strategy to ensure his position as head of the party.

The NDP has said it will boycott the swear-in ceremony Monday and will seek legal action to challenge the results of the polls that were won by Gonsalves Unity Labour Party (ULP) by an 8-7 margin.

Eustace has lost four consecutive general elections to Gonsalves and the ULP leader told his party supporters that claims by the 70-year-old Opposition leader that the polls were rigged are just attempts to stave off any challenge to his leadership.

“You want to tell me a man lose one, two elections, he lose a third and didn’t offer his resignation? He lose a fourth and the night, he deluded himself, fooling himself, fooling other people that he win, that they win election” Gonsalves said.

“All that Eustace is going on, Eustace is trying to keep anybody from challenging him. He did the same thing in 2010 inside of the party. That is his tactic. All of this is to keep his job and to get the salary as leader of the Opposition. That is all, because he got the salary of a senior minister and we give him about EC$180,000 (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) a year to run his office.

“So, is a cozy job; is the easiest job in the country. You make of it what you make of it. You go on radio Monday morning and yo’ talk a lot of foolishness. And you go home and doh-do (sleep) and you wait ’til next week Monday morning again,” Gonsalves told supporters.