ST. GEORGE ‘S, Grenada: It has been a little over 100 days since the Keith Mitchell administration was sworn in for an unprecedented third term in office after surviving a major scare in the November 27 general elections. The administration has sought to soften its image in the first fourteen weeks of its third term following its showing in last year’s elections. By its own admission, it is now focusing on “people’s policies” – though sometimes it is not always clear what that means. But this is in itself an acknowledgement that the opposition campaign against its “concrete policies” had worked. The New National Party has talked the good talk in its latest term, but has not walked it enough to convince many skeptical Grenadians that the administration has changed for the better. The so-called budget consultations, as good an idea as it is, was largely a farce – a not-to-effective public relations gimmick that just failed to catch on, and the follow-up budget discussions have failed to catch a fire also. The problem that the government still has to fix is the fact that of this lingering feeling that this is a corrupt cartel in slick operation. Additionally a tinge of arrogance remains that still rubs people the wrong way. The fact of the matter – and it is an odd situation – that while people have clamored for more consultations, the government has not earn the right to talk to its own constituents. Neither can it effectively sell the idea of belt tightening that is needed in the coming period until it finds a way to build back its fractured trust. The issue of “back pay” for government ministers had immediately undermine its credibility, when it badly needed some straight out of the blocks – and each time it tried to explain the situation, the government compounded the general distrust. The administration is a badly wounded one, seeking to get on its feet, and the first 100 days have been tentative, staggering steps, rather than decisive ones. SOURCE: CARIBUPDATE.COM