“Let the people decide! There is already a shortage of quality leadership. Why impose artificial limits.”

ST. VINCENT and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves feels restrictions on the terms of office of Caribbean heads of government deprive the people of quality leaders who are scarce in the region.

“Let the people decide! There is already a shortage of quality leadership. Why impose artificial limits”, he said during last week’s Caribbean Community summit here.

“We don’t have to imitate everything the Americans do,” Gonsalves argued.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there is no limit on the term of office of the Prime Minister.

There has been mounting speculation about President Bharrat Jagdeo running for a third term after his presidency expires in 2011 but this is prohibited by the Constitution and can only be changed by a referendum.

President Jagdeo has publicly said he does not intend to run for a third term.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won a referendum in February this year with a majority 54% of the vote that allowed him to run for the presidency for life.

Gonsalves said the shortage of quality leadership in the Caribbean and the restriction on the period for incumbent Presidents or Prime Ministers may pose difficulties for several countries.

Several People’s Progressive Party (PPP) leaders are front runners as likely candidates for the 2011 Presidential race including Donald Ramotar, General Secretary; Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkaran; Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony; Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.