It’s getting rough in North Windward. On the ground, the talk in the rum shops, bus stops, and market stalls is the same — “Grace go lose this one.”
Dr. Grace Walters, the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) hopeful for the constituency, is facing her toughest test yet. What was once considered one of the ULP’s safest seats is suddenly looking shaky, as New Democratic Party (NDP) challenger Shevern John surges in support.
“People cyah feel she”
Grace Walters has the résumé — doctorate degrees, hospital management experience, and a long career in health care. But in the villages of Sandy Bay, Fancy, and Owia, credentials alone don’t win hearts.
“She smart and educated, yes,” said one young farmer in Overland, “but people cyah feel she. She come back here for the election, but Shevern been wid we all the time.”
It’s that perception — that Walters, though born in the area, has been too long away in Kingstown — that’s hurting her most. Many voters still feel a deep loyalty to outgoing MP Montgomery Daniel, who held the seat since 2001, but some say the connection hasn’t transferred to his successor.
The contract controversy
Adding to Walters’ woes is a consultancy contract controversy that exploded just weeks before Vincentians head to the polls. Documents revealed she had been earning EC $144,000 under a government contract while campaigning — a fact the opposition pounced on as proof she’s “part of the system.”
Walters fired back, telling supporters she was being targeted unfairly.
“Is it because I’m a woman? Because I’m a Carib?” she asked at a rally in Owia on Sunday.
But in the eyes of many undecided voters, the issue has muddied her image. “People don’t want excuses,” said a teacher in London Village. “They want representation they could trust.”
Shevern John’s quiet climb
Meanwhile, Shevern John, making her second run at the seat, has been winning quiet hearts. In 2020, she lost by just 62 votes — one of the narrowest margins in the country. This time, the NDP candidate has built on that base, connecting especially with youth and women who feel left behind.
“Shevern talk plain,” said a fisher from Fancy. “She talk how we talk. She understand we struggle.”
Her campaign, centred on job creation, agriculture, and community rebuilding after years of storm damage, is resonating. Her rallies — once small and subdued — are now pulling crowds that rival the ULP’s red sea.
ULP still has its machine — but is the engine sputtering?
The ULP’s campaign structure remains formidable, with the Prime Minister himself visiting North Windward several times in recent weeks. But even inside party circles, there’s quiet concern.
“The energy ain’t the same,” one longtime party worker admitted. “People tired. They respect Grace, but they not connecting the same way they used to with Monty.”
What happens next
With days to go before Vincentians cast their ballots, North Windward has transformed into one of the most unpredictable battlegrounds of 2025. A swing of just two percent could turn the tide.
If Walters loses, it won’t just be a personal setback — it would mark the first time in nearly a quarter century that the ULP has lost the seat. For a party built on grassroots strength, that would sting.
And for many in Sandy Bay, it would mean one thing: the red stronghold of the north might finally be turning yellow.
