With cracks appearing in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and general dissatisfaction among Grenadians about joblessness in the country, the opposition New National Party (NNP) is now talking confidently of what it plans on doing “when’’ – and not “if’’ – it returns to office.
Several times the word, “when,’’ was used at a public meeting Sunday in Morne Rouge in South St. George’s by NNP leader, Keith Mitchell, and other party officials.
The NNP formed the government of Grenada for 13 years until it was ousted in general elections in 2008.
The NDC, which won the polls 11 – 4, capitalized on widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement against Dr. Mitchell and other senior NNP officials.
Former Prime Minister Mitchell said Sunday that “when the NNP is returned soon’’ to office, its objectives will include improving on what the party did when it formed the government from 1995 – 2008.
“Whatever mistakes we have made,’’ he said, “we have learnt from it.’’
Dr. Mitchell listed unemployment as one of the “biggest problems’’ confronting the country, saying that people are hurting.
“The NNP will end this hurt,’’ said the opposition leader, who also promised that his administration will not “practice the politics of spite and hate.’’
“We have to learn to respect each other’s views,’’ he said. “There has been too much pain in this country. It is time for healing.’’
The NNP rally came just days after the parliamentary debate on the 2012 budget in which NDC MPs complained about the workings and direction of the party.
MP Karl Hood, the Foreign Affairs Minister, claimed the party had “squandered’’ the opportunity it received from the electorate in 2008; while backbenchers Joseph Gilbert and Michael Church intimated that political attacks and “fire’’ were being carried out against MPs like themselves by other NDC members.
Dr. Mitchell said an absence of love was “responsible for the demise’’ of the NDC, and blamed Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and Finance Minister Nazim Burke of “working together in killing this country.’’
Opposition MP Elvin Nimrod, deputy leader of the NNP, said Thomas does not enjoy the support of the majority of NDC members and the party itself is on life support.
“The NDC is about to expire. Let us now bring back the NNP,’’ said Nimrod, a former foreign minister.
Almost every speaker at the rally condemned the EC.023 billion national budget that was tabled in parliament March 9 by Burke.
“This budget is the worst budget that has been presented in the history of Grenada,’’ said economist Anthony Boatswain.
The former finance minister, who now represents the NNP in the senate, described the budget as “incomplete’’ and “unrealistic,’’ and lacking in imagination on the issue of job creation.
Boatswain said that after analysis of the budget, the financing gap is closer to 0 million than 7 million as suggested by the government.
He predicted that if money is not raised to close the deficit, the government would have to impose charges – “tantamount to taxes’’ – for some services.
If no money is forthcoming, added Boatswain, almost 60 percent of capital projects outlined in the budget would not be implemented.
There will also be an increase in unpaid claims in the treasury now estimated at million, and Grenada may need to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund, Boatswain said.
(Source http://www.spiceislander.com/?p=6554)
