ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA: Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas has led his National Democratic Congress out of dealings with the Keith Mitchell administration until “it is forced to account” to Grenadians about the reconstruction. When Prime Minister Keith Mitchell convened a meeting Wednesday with political leaders to discuss the institutional arrangements for undertaking the reconstruction of the island, Thomas was absent. He called at the last minute to say he will not be attending. Thomas and his party are upset with the government’s failure to convene parliament. The body has not met for over two months, and not since Hurricane Ivan devastated Grenada on September 7. Government has been mobilising for form what it calls a Council for Reconstruction involving representatives of many local groups, including all the political parties. Grenada United Labour Party’s Political Leader Gloria Payne Banfield and Peoples Labour Movement’s Deputy Political Leader Kenny Lalsingh attended Wednesday’s session. NDC has been fretting by what it says has been the failure of the government to “seriously engage” it in reconstruction efforts. “We believe that it is reckless that six weeks after a national disaster of the proportions that we had in Grenada… the parliament, the highest law making body in the land has not been convened to discuss how we deal with this disaster,” Peter David, an opposition MP, told the Caribupdate News Service in an interview. “We are therefore ceasing all contacts with the government until our parliament is called and we hope our parliament is convened soon since we believe it is in the interest of the country,” he added. Under current standing orders, the island’s parliament should meet monthly. The parliament’s chamber was among the several buildings in the island that was severely damaged by the storm. But the opposition argues that there is nothing that stops the law-making body to meet at another address. A government statement on Wednesday’s meeting claimed that the GULP leader said her party is willing to participate fully in the reconstruction effort. The government statement quoted Payne-Banfield as saying: “We recognise that there is one Government led by the Prime Minister. You have both the responsibility and the authority to undertake appropriate activities to ensure both the reconstruction of the Country and the security of the people.” SOURCE: CARIBUPDATE.COM