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3/2/2010 
OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS HE STILL LOOKS FORWARD TO A RES...  
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St. George, Grenada, March 2nd, 2010: After eight months, the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition, Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell says he still hopes that he will receive a response and will see some action from the NDC administration regarding two letters which he wrote to the Hon. Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, highlighting numerous concerns raised with him as the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition. Dr. Mitchell says a blind eye has been turned to his letters written on March 4th 2009 and again on June 15th 2009. Meanwhile, he noted that the economic and political situation in the country has been deteriorating. The following is the full text of the second letter sent on June 15th, 2009: June 15th, 2009 Hon. Tillman Thomas Prime Minister Ministerial Complex Tanteen ST. GEORGE’S Dear Prime Minister Thomas, On March 4th 2009, I wrote to you concerning numerous complaints from various sectors and individuals who are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the current social, political and economic situation facing the country at this time. I wish to inform you that I am deeply disappointed that you have not found the time to respond to my letter which was sent to you more than three months ago out of concern for my country. Since then, the situation in the country has worsened and I believe that now more than ever there is a need for you as leader of the country to take some decisive actions to address these concerns in the interest of our people. I wish to again bring them to your attention. Since assuming office in July 2008, your administration has been contributing significantly to the level of unemployment and poverty in the country by firing large number of vulnerable persons from their jobs. In most cases these persons suffer political victimization since they are being dismissed on the perception that they are supporters of the New National Party. I am sure that you are aware of a recent case of a young woman from Carriacou who was fired for privately expressing her political views while she was on vacation in another country. This Mr. Prime Minister can never be the promise you made that no one will be victimized. This cannot be the promise you made to uphold democracy in our country. As you are aware almost 2000 young men and women who were involved in the Imani Programme after one year are still awaiting the opportunities promised to them. Many are frustrated and are involved in negative activities that the programme had helped to keep them from. Despite the promise made by the NDC while in opposition that they will not be sent home and that their salary will be increased to $1000.00 Imani trainees are today without an opportunity and an income. This cannot be the promise of honesty and integrity which you made prior to the general elections. While the unemployment rate increases, some who are paid by Government are also complaining about late receipt of their salaries, which is making it difficult for them to meet their monthly commitments. What is worse is that since assuming office, your Government has reduced the wages of ordinary workers who benefited from pay increases like any other class of workers. Today road workers have to settle for $10.00 less per day, even if the amount of hours they work has been increased. I am certain that you are also aware that some police officers had to take home $150.00 less without even being informed of the decision taken to remove their allowance. You must be aware that many ordinary Grenadians are also losing their jobs and lack of employment opportunities due to the action or lack of action by your Government. This sir, cannot be the promise you made to protect workers rights and create new jobs. After almost one year in office, I am sure that you have a full understanding of the opportunities which were made available for the vulnerable of our society. I am pleading with you to use your good office to find some means of restoring and expanding the safety net programmes which were established to protect the poor and vulnerable especially the unemployed. Although Government cannot do everything for the vulnerable, every administration still has a responsibility to protect the less fortunate among us. Today, many more parents are unable to send their children to school, to provide them with milk and to provide basic food items. Most of these persons were provided for in programmes offered by the NNP administration. Today many more elderly citizens are left to go without a meal, because the monthly allowance provided by the NNP administration was removed. Not only has your Government failed to honour the promise to increase the payment to $400.00 per month, worse yet the little they had was taken away from them without any justification. This cannot be the promise you made to protect the poor and vulnerable before the last general elections. What is puzzling to me and many other Grenadians is the fact that despite the above, you are approving the travel of Government Ministers, advisors and other officials to all parts of the world costing the country hundred of thousands of dollars; you are allowing the Government ministers to purchase expensive furniture, and other unnecessary amenities for their offices; you are allowing the hiring of persons who are paid large sums of monies and are making no serious contribution to the governance process. This cannot be allowed in a time when your Minister of Finance constantly laments the lack of finances to run the country. Despite all of the above the Government continues to find every possible means to impose additional hardship on the people of the country. A good example was the Government’s decision to increase the cost of beach sand to over 200% without any justification and without any consultation. This cannot be the good governance, transparency and accountability you had promised. I therefore wish to again call on you to stand up as leader of the Government and to take some urgent steps to reverse or correct some of the above situations. In addition, I wish to extend my best wishes to you and hope that you will make those decisions for the sake of the people of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Please find attached a copy of my letter sent to your in March 2009, so you can be reminded of some of the other issued which I had raised. Respectfully yours, _____________________________________ DR. KEITH C. MITCHELL PhD, MP, PC LEADER OF HER MAJESTY’S OPPOSITION
 

 


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OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS HE STILL LOOKS FORWARD TO A RES...  
Hi Pastor i do hope that this posting meets you in good health because now i am beginning to question your sanity and memory for it now seems that you and like minded people like your self in suggesting that the present government and in particular some within the party is corrupted now tell me where were you when the NNP was in government and the stories which was coming out about their corruptive behaviour while in government, sir where were you or were you part of that corruptive mentality but now that you guys are in the opposition you and your gangs are slinging mud tell me what is going on with you people why why cant we be united and get behind this present government for it is time that we put aside our political difference and work for the betterment of grenada and our people instead of our own egoes grenada i now believe in a much better state /hands to come out of this current financial mess to a degree left behind by the last government and it is about time that the opposition stop bickering and get on with promoting our country in a more positive way and respect the elected wishes of the people,yes you have a duty to keep an eye on the government in power but as the saying goes people who lives in blass house should not throw stones and should recap on their time in government and their behaviour,for it is now time that we all grow up and get on with the job of governing and as for that pastor god i do hope that your path to heaven is clear because you keep mentioning the behaviour of others yet you completely fail to condemed say any adverse things about the NNP and their misguided judgements while they were in government (i called this double standard) and more so coming from a pastor.i stand to be corrected.
00By: gabe
3/12/2010 10:06:05 AM
John and Gabe, we here in Grenada are fully aware that the world is in crisis. What you don't know or do not want to accept, the people who have been fired are replaced by NDC operatives and their salaries are far more than what was paid to those being fired. So don't be fooled further. It appears to me if it was some one else besides Dr. Mitchell that had written it, you would not have responded the way you did. It's time you big men get over this obsession with Dr. Mitchell. For the good of Grenada, start to think objectively. Just a loving note, most of the people here in Grenada who accepted the corruption allegation of the NDC while in opposition are not saying that anymore, because the truth are being revealed now.
00By: Pastor Garraway
3/10/2010 5:22:33 PM
John greetings and well said for it seems that the opposition parties in grenada is hell bent on creating trouble admist our people instead of doing all it can to advance our country and its people and as you rightly said the whole world both the developed and the new developing countries is experiencing financial difficulties and yes we have to tighten our belt all of us if we are to come out of this recession in good shape for the turning of the tide and it is no good HM oppositions keep on complaining instead they should be working for the good of our country and its people .
00By: gabe
3/10/2010 9:51:08 AM
Wouldn't be wonderful for the leading party to sit down with the opposition and make honst attempts to collectively resolve the economic, social, educational and political problems facing the island, especially if they can set aside scoring political points for their own selfish gains? Mr. PM, once again I encourage you to take every issue/concern outlined in Dr. Keith Mitchell's letter(s) as an opportunity to carefully examine your administration and make corrections as see fit.
00By: Damond
3/6/2010 2:03:38 AM
When ever a government spend moneyit must not be for political gains but for economic advancement of the people. So when a new government takes office there will be a lot of displaced people ,what one government do for political milage the other will do for economic advancement of the people.After 13years there must be some trimimg to or pruning to do ( house clesning) i am sure that you will agree with me that you was not pefect in runnung the afairs of the country.ao after one year there will be miss steps and it not easy but to complain about good governance and people loseing their jobs it a normal thing when ever a government change, in the case of our country its not renada alone it a world wide issue i am certain that if you were in office you would of been force to make some unporpula choices as well but again you may prefer to eat the corn than plant it for the future harvest. Economic pressure is all around us let us not try to seek ploitical mileage for own political agenda. put Grenada first.
00By: John
3/4/2010 9:11:35 PM