There appears to be growing debate within Grenada’s ruling New National Party about its strategy in the lead up to general elections constitutionally due by June next year.

NNP won an unprecedented 15-seat landslide in the first ever clean sweep at the polls, but it is believed to have lost considerably ground to a surging National democratic Congress in the last two years.

Party sources say this has led to some “jitters” on how to ensure another victory since private poll numbers and feedback for a series of constituency walkabouts have confirmed that “we have a lot of work to do.”

Some party officials are convinced that the facts have forced leader and Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell into a rethink of a 2003 first quarter poll it was eyeing.

Another concern for the ruling party is the talked about partial revival of the Grenada United Labour Party, which at this stage is unlikely to win a seat but could influence the final results.

Many have credited a swing by traditional GULP voters for the NNP landslide in 1999.

The party also believes that the recent “scandal” of the sale of passports to an Iraqi family, opposition people say happened after the government had suspended the program, has played negatively at home.

While the incumbent is believed to have raised more money than all of the other parties combined for the upcoming poll, it is still far short of the estimated 10 million, believed to be a Grenada record, it raised for the last poll mainly through the controversial offshore bank First International, which has since collapsed.

One report here this weekend said there has been disagreement between NNP leader Dr Mitchell and Trinidadian pollster Derek Ramsamooj over strategy, with the later being relieved of some of his duties.

The Trinidadian is by training a pollster but had been asked to be in charge of the party’s strategy and training of field workers.

Ramsamooj was forced into the position after the party had failed to hammer out an agreement with its preferred strategist Jamaican Joan Webley who played the role in the last general elections.

Other than his botched strategies, key field workers had also complained about the Trinidadian’s high-handed attitude.

“Derek is basically a pollster and not a political strategist, and the last few months have proven that beyond doubt,” one party insider told CARIBUPDATE.

A Ramsamooj poll had shown the ruling party losing ground to the now considered main opposition National Democratic Congress.

While NNP leader has taken on a very hands-on approach on the current strategy planning of the party, there is an attempt to build a new team but some jostling for influence within the structure has not been made for a smooth transition.

Prime Minister Mitchell will like to return to the strategy team which ensured its unprecedented clean sweep in 1999, but key members are reported to be either unavailable or unwilling to return after being alienated for the last two years.





PROVIDED BY CARIBUPDATE.COM