Looking back at the first 100 days of the NDC in office it is clearer now, not just to the Opposition but to most Grenadians, even those who voted for change, that the NDC was never ready for leadership of this country as they said they were.

It is clearer now, that their main objective was never about Grenada. It was about helping themselves, attacking the former Government and its leadership and satisfying their own egos. It was all about power. Grenadians in every corner of Grenada are not just complaining about the hardship they are going through but they are complaining bitterly about the behavior of the members of the NDC administration and their associates.

Their energies are focused on getting rid of Dr. Keith Mitchell by any means necessary, so they can run Grenada the way they wanted to since the collapse of the revolution. While you hear very little of the new Prime Minister, all attention has remained on Dr. Mitchell, as members of the Government and their operatives continue to try every possible strategy to humiliate, attack and discredit him. Refusing to give him his passport with his valid visas and describing him as corrupt without any evidence are just examples of the focus of our new government.

In their true opposition style, the Government and its operatives, continues to attack even those who they perceive are close to Dr. Mitchell or the NNP. Whether it is the Governor General, former Deputy Prime Minister Gregory Bowen, Ambassador Patrick Antoine, Former Counsel General Alen McGuire, former Cabinet Advisor Hugh Wildman, international racing super star Lewis Hamilton, Dr. Namatali and the list goes on and on. These attacks have accomplished one thing, destruction of the good name of Grenada and significant opportunities for the people of this country.

In a leaping before you look fashion; the new Government started their first few days by attacking and threatening investors that they will review their contracts. The end results are loss of jobs and other opportunities for Grenadians as investors scale down or close down projects. New investors are scared to come to Grenada since the Finance Minister has declared that the economy is in a mess. Even after he was advised by those who know better that these statements can make Grenada’s situation worse, he continues to repeat similar for political gains.

Businessmen and other citizens are describing the period after the General Elections as the worse economic times Grenada has ever experienced. However, the Government is doing very little if anything, to help the poor and vulnerable.

Hundreds have already lost their jobs and are forced to go home to their families with nothing. With the current economic situation many of them know it will be a long time before they find a new job. The NDC promised it will start from day one to reduce the rising cost of living, but we are seeing the cost of basic items increasing daily.

Before the elections 1lb of brown rice was $1.94 now it is $2.75; 1lb of brown sugar was 97cents now it is $1.10; 1lb of chicken wings was $2.18 now it is $4.35.

While poor people suffer, many of the NDC bigwigs who worked in the background during the last elections are now reaping the benefits to the disadvantage of the poor and suffering. While some take home as much as $8000.00 per month, the poor man is asked to make sacrifices and to do self-help when he finds it impossible to put food on his table.

With no understanding of the situation, the Government has been missing in action since July 9th. Ministers seem not to have one care for the poor and suffering as they have remained in the celebratory mood traveling regularly in first class with large delegations.

The NDC promised to remove the reconstruction levy in July 2008, but changed their mind to remove it in January 2009, knowing that the NNP had committed to remove it in December 2008. All students from primary school to TAMCC were suppose to get all their books free but the Government changed the plan and gave only 4 books to secondary school students at a cost of $25.00.

These parents then had to spend in some cases as much as $400.00 to get the rest of the books which they got free under the NNP. The NDC promised free barrels to help reduce cost of living, but unfortunately the people who are most affected by the cost of living have no one to send them a barrel and the few who get a barrel cannot pay transportation cost. Imani trainees were told they will not be sent home and they will be paid $1000.00 per month. They are now told they will be sent home in December after a graduation.

Many of the support services for the sick provided by the NNP Government were removed. Some patients are dying because they no longer get help for weekly dialysis or cancer treatment. Most of the other safety net programmes were put on hold indefinitely such as the milk programme, the debushing programme, the school voucher programme, the student’s transportation programme, the housing programme, and the food basket programme.

We can only hope that things will get better but we are still looking for a light at the end of this tunnel.


OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

Inside Grenada News