CATEGORY:COMMENTARY --------------------------- INSIDE GRENADA NOVEMBER 22,2007 by Lloyd Noel Now that the last General Elections in CARICOM, for the year 2007, has been held and concluded in Trinidad and Tobago two weeks ago- all eyes will be on Barbados and Grenada for the year 2008, when Elections in those states are expected. In the four General Elections held in the Region in the last twelve months - three of those ended in a change of Government - in St. Lucia, Bahamas and Jamaica, and in Trinidad & Tobago the incumbents were returned to power with an increased majority of eleven seats (26 to 15). The pundits on analyzing and predicting Elections results are already on the move with their reasoning and commentary on those results and their outlook for Barbados and Grenada. For example, the question as to whether the trend for change has been broken - and we can expect a corresponding three results of the incumbents holding onto power, with T&T one up and two more to follow in Barbados and Grenada. The only difference of note with that expectation, it that in the Case of Prime Minister Manning and his PNM party it was his third victory, whereas in the cases of Prime Minister Owen and Prime Minister Mitchell they are both seeking their fourth consecutive terms in the seats of power, and that situation in their respective States is un-precedented. But who know, in the crazy and un-predictable world of modern-day politics - they could very well be setting a new record. Only time will tell. In the case here in Grenada, the hunt for new Candidates has been on-going for some time now, and the reports from the political grape-vine have not been very encouraging for the NNP in power. At one point the craze was to entice police officers to move away from enforcing or implementing the Law, and move into the new role of making or legislating new Laws; so far only one Sergeant of police has taken the bait. There was also a hot report that a Doctor or two were on the verge of entering the house of NNP, but one in particular - Dr. Trevor Friday from the traditional political Friday family of St. Patrick’s, has since failed to show any interest to-date. Then the interest shifted to young Lawyers, and one very successful at the Criminal Bar was targeted, but he too did not fall for the many promises. However, another not so young and not as successful in private practice - did fall head and shoulders for the political limelight, and was reportedly the Chairman of the North-East St. George NNP Constituency group - just waiting to be confirmed as the Candidate to oppose M.P Nazim Burke. But out of the blue, a couple weeks ago, Kennedy Roberts was chosen as the caretaker Candidate for the Constituency, and Mr. Dwight Hosford left out in the cold outside. Whether that move had anything to do with the also un-expected turn-around inside the Executive arm of NNP - only Mr. Ken Jones, who was forcibly removed from an executive meeting on the orders of the Prime Minister, will be able to enlighten John Public in due course of time, as he sees fit. From all the foregoing, however, it does look as though the incumbents are having a hard time in attracting the type of Candidates they would like to have on board, and may very well have to settle for who they can get, rather than who they really want to join the forces for the fight ahead. The NDC, on the other hand, seem to be quietly putting their team together, and spreading its wings by visiting and up-dating nationals in the Diaspora in North America especially. The Congress party’s bigger problem seems to be keeping an eagle eye on what is taking place in The Supervisor of Elections office, with the Register of Voters for the forth coming General Elections. The reported happenings in that sensitive area, as well as the press release put out by the said Supervisor of Elections - leave a whole lot to be desired, and raises far more questions than the answers it provided. The latest is a request to the Governor General, by the NDC, to set up an Inquiry into what took place with those Computers that contained the Voters Register, and what is being done to remedy the situation. It seems to me, and many persons I have spoken with on the matter, that only such an Inquiry can put the public’s mind at ease and settle the problem. To stand on Royal high horses and pretend it is only a storm in a tea-cup – could very well have serious repercussions in the months ahead. I feel sure that if the Governor General was to initiate the move – to get the OAS technicians who installed the system, to come in and investigate the complaints and whatever problems there were, that Body will respond positively and their report accepted. But talking about Inquiry and reporting after-wards – the Cheltham Inquiry was mandated to hand in its report by the end of September, 2007, to the Governor General. So far we have heard nothing about that event, so what is happening? And the further Inquiry – into the Taiwanese for Mainland China National Anthem, and Police Inspector Brian Hurst removal from the Police Band – was put in place many months ago, when the Government refused to accept the report from the Senior Police officers who carried out the initial investigation. So far nothing has been heard about that Inquiry and its report, if any. It is because of that low level of responsibility and serious-ness by those home-based Inquiries, that I would prefer to see the OAS dealing with the Voters Registration Computer issue, so that we can get a report well before the Election date comes along. On the broader front all eyes are still on the happenings in Pakistan, and the possible impact on the wider world outside its borders. An interim Prime Minister, or however he is called, has been installed but Musharraf still remains firmly in control and thousands of his people languishing in his detention camps, with no legal or other human rights – because the Constitution has been suspended, and so have the judges and the courts which existed under the Constitution. The Commonwealth Leaders, through their relevant Committee, have given that Criminal dictator an ultimatum to restore the Constitution and the Courts or face suspension from the organization. Pakistan has been suspended before, when the same Musharraf first seized power by a Military Coup, so no big deal this time around. And his promise to hold Elections in February, instead of January next year, is also meaningless if those opposition people in detention are kept there, and there is no freedom of movement for people to come and go as they please. Instead of satisfying the ultimatum, the dictator appointed his own band of so-called Judges to his un-Constitutional Court. And true to form that lot has dismissed all the objections to Musharraf’s illegal dominance over his people. The irony of the present situation should teach Leaders like President George W. Bush of the U.S.A. some profound lessons for future dealings with men like Musharraf. The U.S. President used the services of the Pakistan dictator after the “9/11” attack in New York, to get into Afghanistan in the hunt for Bin Laden; and he continues to pay him huge sums of money as protection or a safe haven for U.S. troops in Pakistan in the on-going war against Terrorism. Now, mindful of George Bush Iraq problems Worldwide, but more importantly in his own backyard inside the U.S.A. Musharraf, being the chronic dictator he un-doubtedly always has been, made his move to stifle all forms of opposition against him, in the fullest deceitful knowledge that George Bush hands are virtually tied, so that he cannot and dare not do much because so many U.S. troops lives are at stake inside Pakistan, and Iraq continues to haunt him. The lesson applies across the political divide everywhere and anywhere; if you form deals and go to bed with crooks, and con-men, and fraudsters, and dictators who are prone to behave like madmen – then do not expect them to suddenly, nor in the short or long term, turn out to be saints, and up-right men of honesty and ethical standards of decency and morality. We here in Grenada, at the highest level of authority, should be learning so many lessons from those types of associations that persist in dragging the individuals and our once good and proud name deeper down into the abyss of shame and disgrace – but for some baffling reasons the individuals seem incapable of turning over the page. And from all appearances, as well as fairly reliable tit-bits coming out of the inner circle, even more astonishing revelations about proposed schemes to try and ensure survival are in the pipeline for implementation. The situation could become so desperate, for those with hidden secrets to protect or keep under cover, that all those currently making political noises in one form or another are obliged to keep their eyes wide open, and remain constantly vigilant in the on-going national effort, to rescue our people and their heritage before the ship of state finally sinks to the depths of no return. There will be all manner of attractive promises, and schemes for accommodation, here, there and everywhere, that look irresistible and beyond rejection. But I warn you to “beware of the Ides of March” (from Julius Caesar). There is an abounding and abiding duty in each and every one of us – to help save this paradise from drifting further down the stormy waters of secret deals, and nice-sounding pirates who are on their own self-serving mission to satisfy their masters wishes and clean-up the loot.