1. Ralph Everard Gonsalves was born on 8 August 1946 and is a Vincentian politician who has served as prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the leader of the Unity Labour Party since 2001.
26 Facts About Ralph Gonsalves
1. 2.
Ralph Gonsalves became prime minister after his party won a majority government in the 2001 general election.
3.
Ralph Gonsalves was the first prime minister from the newly constructed ULP, following a merger of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party and the Movement for National Unity.
4.
Ralph Gonsalves has been Member of Parliament for the constituency of North Central Windward since 1994.
5.
On 7 November 2020, Ralph Gonsalves was sworn in for his fifth term as prime minister.
6.
Ralph Gonsalves's ancestors came to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 1845 as indentured servants from the Portuguese island of Madeira.
7.
Ralph Gonsalves then enrolled at the University of the West Indies, where he completed a bachelor's degree in economics.
8.
Ralph Gonsalves later returned there to earn a master's degree in government, which he completed in 1971.
9.
Ralph Gonsalves was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in London in 1981.
10.
Ralph Gonsalves attended Makerere University in Uganda according to his address at the United Nations during the Africa Day event on 25 May 2019.
11.
Ralph Gonsalves became involved in politics at university, as president of the University of West Indies' Guild of Undergraduates and Debating Society.
12.
In 1994, Ralph Gonsalves became the deputy leader of the Unity Labour Party.
13.
Ralph Gonsalves was appointed leader of the opposition from December 1999 to January 2001.
14.
Ralph Gonsalves later led the Unity Labour Party to win the 2001 general election, becoming prime minister and Minister of Finance.
15.
Ralph Gonsalves's ULP was re-elected in the 2005 general election.
16.
Ralph Gonsalves has persisted in his calls for the establishment of a presidency, proposing another referendum in 2022 to replace the monarchy while voicing support to rename places in the country named after colonial figures such as Victoria Park.
17.
In November 2017 Ralph Gonsalves gave up the portfolio of Minister of Finance to his son, Camillo Ralph Gonsalves.
18.
On 3 July 2020, Ralph Gonsalves was elected Chairman of the Caribbean Community succeeding Mia Amor Mottley.
19.
Ralph Gonsalves attended the coronation of Charles III at Westminster Abbey along with governor-general Susan Dougan on 6 May 2023.
20.
Ralph Gonsalves met with the King and other leaders of the Commonwealth the day prior.
21.
Ralph Gonsalves helped to organize a meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali to discuss the 2023 Guyana-Venezuela crisis between the two nations.
22.
Ralph Gonsalves called on Maduro and Ali "to de-escalate the situation" and engage in "appropriate dialogue".
23.
Ralph Gonsalves has written and published on a range of matters including the Caribbean, Africa, trade unionism, comparative political economy, and developmental issues generally.
24.
Ralph Gonsalves has been married twice; currently he is married to Eloise Harris.
25.
Ralph Gonsalves has two sons by his first marriage, Camillo and Adam; one son by his second wife, Storm; and two daughters, Isis and Soleil.
26.
Ralph Gonsalves sustained visible injuries to his head in the attack and was rushed to the hospital.