Daddy Friday Becomes St Vincent PM
Dr Godwin E.L. Friday’s New Democratic Party (NDP) won a clear mandate in the 2025 St Vincent and the Grenadines general election, claiming 11 of the 15 seats and unseating long-serving Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves. Reported by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO), the result hands Dr Friday the leadership of the government and will make him the nation’s seventh prime minister since independence in 1979. The outcome signals a major political shift in SVG and is likely to draw close attention from residents and businesses in the British Virgin Islands because of the two territories’ regional links on travel, labour and disaster resilience.
Friday’s New Democratic Party (NDP) has won 11 of the 15 seats in St Vincent and the Grenadines’ House of Assembly, giving him a clear mandate to form government and ending the long tenure of former Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, the Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) reported.
VINO’s coverage says the result will make Dr Friday the island’s seventh prime minister since independence in 1979. The United Labour Party (ULP) led by Mr Gonsalves won four seats. Mr Gonsalves has been a dominant figure in SVG politics for more than two decades, serving as prime minister since 2001; the NDP’s 11–4 victory represents a significant change in the country’s political landscape, observers say.
VINO’s initial report and a subsequent update both confirm the outcome and note that more details are expected as the new government begins to formalise its administration. The update reiterated that Dr Friday will assume the role of prime minister and repeated the election’s final seat count.
VINO also notes in its online statement that it is operated by Advance Marketing and Professional Services (doing business as Virgin Islands News Online) and that its content is copyrighted. Dr Friday and the NDP now face immediate practical tasks, including forming a cabinet, setting out a programme for government and signalling early policy priorities.
Economic management, tourism development, job creation, disaster risk reduction and climate resilience are expected to be high on the agenda given the country’s exposure to hurricanes and the wider regional focus on climate adaptation. For residents and stakeholders in the British Virgin Islands, the change of leadership in Kingstown has direct and indirect implications.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is a close regional partner on issues such as inter-island travel, labour mobility, trade, and regional coordination through CARICOM. New policies or shifts in diplomatic approach could affect travel arrangements, consular support and cross-border labour relationships that many BVI families and businesses rely on.
Local businesses, travel operators, community groups and residents with family ties to SVG are likely to monitor early government announcements closely for any changes to migration or travel protocols and for signals on regional cooperation and disaster response planning. Observers in the Eastern Caribbean will also watch how Dr Friday positions SVG within CARICOM and other regional bodies.
Further statements from party leaders and formal confirmation of ministerial appointments are expected in the coming days. This report is based on coverage by Virgin Islands News Online; VINO has indicated it will publish more details as they become available.
Primary source: VINO