ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA: THE opposition National Democratic Congress has invited officials of the People’s Labour Movement and the Grenada United Labour Party to attend its self-styled “people’s parliament” Sunday.

NDC sources have said that party leaders felt the invitation was in order to galvanize the nation against what it calls the ruling New National Party’s plans to hijack Grenadian democracy.

According to our sources NDC was hoping that leading GULP figures Gloria Payne-Banfield and Michael Baptiste, and PLM leader Dr Francis Alexis will speak at the event.

“This issue now transcends each individual party, since as Grenadians we have to stand up against the Keith Mitchell’s administration plans to silence the voice of the majority of people who last November voted against NNP policies,” and NDC official said here Saturday.

NDC’s Public Relations Officer Nazim Burke was not willing to confirm or deny the reports about the invitations, but said here Saturday that “it is now clear that this issue and struggle goes beyond every single one of us, and all Grenadians must get involved.”

Executive members of the GULP are expected to meet early Sunday morning to decide if any of its officials will attend the event in the south of the island, reliable sources have told CARIBUPDATE.

Calls to officials of both GULP and PLM were not returned at the time of posting this article.

Sunday’s public meeting was hastily organized by the NDC after staging a walkout of parliament on Thursday in protest of a ruling by House Speaker Lawrence Joseph to allow Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell to speak again.

Describing the development as “a charade”, and a “systematic undermining of Grenadian democracy,” NDC leader Tillman Thomas said it is a critical time in history where people will have to stand and be counted.

He dismissed Joseph, who six months ago was the chairman of the ruling New National Party, as simply a ruling party operative doing a partisan job.


SOURCE: CARIBUPDATE.COM