KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, (CMC) – Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Monday questioned the logic behind granting a public holiday in St Vincent and the Grenadines to mark the burial of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

The longest-serving monarch died on September 8 after 70 years on the throne and at least one Caricom country – Antigua and Barbuda – has proclaimed Monday a public holiday to mark the occasion.

But Gonsalves, one of the longest serving Caricom leaders, gave an emphatic ‘absolutely not’ when asked about the possibility of his administration granting a holiday on Monday.

He noted, however, that the flag will be flown at half-mast for seven days following, which is the official period of mourning.

“I don’t know where people got that idea from. What is the logic of having a holiday on the day when Her Majesty is being buried in England? She is not being buried here,” he said.

“A holiday to do what? To watch it on TV? That is going to be played over umpteen times. So those who go to work and they miss it, they can watch it later when they go home.

“You can rest assured that Sky TV and BBC and maybe our own local TV station — in fact, you can watch it on YouTube at any hour,” he continued.

He also said a condolence book has been opened at the Government House and that he has personally sent messages regarding the Queen’s death through the appropriate sources.

In addition to that, he cited that when parliament is conveyed, there will be an occasion to pay tribute to Her Majesty.

St Vincent and the Grenadines was represented at the funeral by Governor General Dame Susan Dougan and Gonsalves noted “we have issued the proclamation under the hand of the Governor General’s deputy in relation to King Charles III.