St. George's Grenada, January 11th, 2011: The New National Party has staged its first Mass Meeting for the year 2011. The meeting held at the Grenville Car Park dealt with the first half of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration’s term in government. Sunday January 9th marked the exact half way mark of the current administration and the rally termed a Mid Term Rally was held to review the actions or lack thereof of the ruling administration.



Mrs. Emmalin Pierre former Minister of Youth spoke on the lack of hope and direction under the present administration for the nation’s young people. Mrs. Pierre made reference to a rise in the number of young people being involved in prostitution on the island due to the harsh economic circumstances and lack of relief on behalf of the ruling administration. She called on the Minister with responsibility for Youth and the Cabinet of the NDC on a whole to look into the plight of the youth of Grenada and provide them with guidance.

Mrs. Pierre also called on the administration to place more funds and develop more programs for young people as she referenced the work done under the last administration and the investment financially and otherwise in the nation’s youth. Mrs. Pierre also took issue with the removal of the majority of youth workers and the dismantling and mishandling of pre-existing youth programs.

Parliamentary Representative for the Constituency of St. Mark and former Minister of Health and of Works Dr. Clarice Modeste spoke in particular about the decline in the quality of Health Care services in the island over the past two and a half years of the NDC Government being in power. Dr. Modeste referred to a new fee implemented at the General Hospital by the present administration which was sprung on unsuspecting persons in dire need of use of the Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Modeste stated that the two thousand dollar fee which is payable before one is allowed to occupy the unit is definitely not part of the transparency and accountability promised by the present government. Dr, Modeste also referred to the lack of oxygen at the hospital facilities as well as on the ambulance system as another example of the same. The Former Minister of Health and Medical Doctor called on the government to focus on the health care of the nation and instead of paying two million dollars for a voter registration unit to focus instead on the dialysis unit for kidney patients who are dying for want of treatment in Grenada .

Parliamentary Representative for Carriacou and Petite Martinique and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Elvin Nimrod spoke on the attempts by the NDC to arrest members of the former NNP Administration. He described the attempts by the NDC as political in nature as each statement made on the issue has been by political activists of the NDC government and not by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) or the Commissioner of Police. Nimrod called on the government as well to remove the present head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Royal Grenada Police Force as he is perceived to be a political activist of the NDC.

The Former Attorney General and Minister of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs also accused the NDC of intercepting the private phone calls and communications of members of the Opposition NNP. Nimrod a lawyer by profession called for transparency and accountability on several matters including the amount of money spent by government on the renaming of the International Airport , the Brazilian Free Port Project carded for Carriacou and the salary of international forensic auditor Bob Lindquist.

Former Deputy Prime Minister, as well as former Minister of Agriculture Senator Gregory Bowen spoke on the many problems being faced over the past two and a half years by the nation’s farmers. Senator Bowen reminded the over two thousand people gathered that the New National Party Government had put in place several programs which assisted the farmers of Grenada such as the irrigation scheme which assisted farmers with being able to produce more crops with better quality over an extended period of time. This program he stated has been discontinued by the present administration which left farmers vulnerable to the harsh dry season which Grenada faced in 2010.

Senator Bowen also made mention of the Agriculture Enterprise Development Program and the many benefits it brought to the farmers of Grenada by providing a means of financing for the farmers of the tri-island state. This together with direct negotiations with various financial institutions on behalf of the farmers of the nation assisted the farmers in getting funding to expand their production and upgrade equipment.

Senator Bowen made mention as well of the fertilizer scheme under the New National Party government where in one instance as much as nine thousand bags of fertilizer at subsidized cost of fifty dollars was brought into the country and provided to farmers. He stated that presently the Ministry of Agriculture brings in around two hundred bags of fertilizer at the rate of around two hundred dollars a bag. He spoke of farmers paying for fertilizer and then going to the depot only to be told that there was no fertilizer available. This he said was part of the problem which has lead to Grenada having to import bananas first from St Vincent and now from Suriname . Bowen stated that under the New National Party Grenada had in fact increased cash crop production after Hurricane Ivan to higher levels that pre Ivan. He spoke of the Fair Trade in bananas and Grenada exporting bananas after Ivan to Trinidad even usurping the St Vincent Market. He further stated that New National Party empathizes with the farmers of Grenada and that the NNP will do all in its power to help them. Senator Bowen also mentioned that the price of sand has risen by 300% causing a sharp drop in the construction industry. This as he also called on the NDC Government to better maintain the nations road system which is going into a serious state of disrepair.

Political Leader of the New National Party and Former Prime Minister for thirteen years Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell who was mobbed by jubilant supporters on his entry to the meeting was in classic form as he dispensed and equal dose of political licks and advice to the NDC Administration on several matters of importance. Dr. Mitchell tore into the economic policies of the National Democratic Congress Government. He reminded those gathered about what he called the three bogeymen that the NDC use to account for their failure in dealing with the Grenadian Economy. These are High Debt, Alleged NNP Mismanagement and the World Economy. Dr. Mitchell further explained that the NDC Administration has been thus far unable to foster any trust from foreign and even local investors to do business in Grenada . He made mention of the stalled Port Louis Project and the Louis Hamilton Gran Beach Project among others as potential income generating projects that were derailed by the Government of the NDC. Dr. Mitchell informed the nation that the New National Party is holding meetings with local and foreign investors who have stated their intention to do business in Grenada as soon as the NNP is returned to office. He said that the faster the Grenadian people see the end of the NDC would be the faster that economic activity returns to Grenada , Carriacou and Petite Martinique. He took time to remind the massive crowd that the NNP team was able to deliver to the Grenadian people in the past in each and every field be it health care by building the nations first ever hospital since colonial days or in education by the building of schools and refurbishment of many others as well as scholarships etc. Dr. Mitchell who is Parliamentary Representative for St. George North West spoke of the NNP leaving government in 2008 with a monthly wage bill of seventeen million dollars. As of 2011 he said the governments wage bill under the NDC is now a monthly twenty five million dollars. He blamed this inflated bill on the hiring of many advisors and hangers on of the National Democratic Congress who are being paid very large sums on a monthly basis with no value for money.

Dr. Mitchell promised the Grenadian people several things on his return to office in the near future. He promised to ensure that depositors of Cap Bank, SGL, Clico and British American would be looked after under the next NNP government and the monies that were placed into these institutions would be recovered and paid to the depositors. He also promised that the NNP under the Prime Minister’s Office would re-establish a Poor People’s Fund and ensure that assistance is given to the nation’s poor and vulnerable. To the road workers he promised to re-instate the EC$10 increase that was taken away by the present government and give the work out in contract form to allow people to take second jobs. It is important to note that the messages delivered by the NNP Team is available on the NNP'S website www.nnpnews.com for those of you who may not have had the opportunity to attend the rally.

Dr. Mitchell also once again called on the NDC Administration to implement the Integrity in Public Life Bill. He stated that he had nothing to hide and he and his team are willing to declare their assets at anytime once the members on the opposite side are willing to also do so. He made special mention of the fact that the NNP will be getting into no ‘Political Marriage of Convenience’ with any group or organization. He said that there is enough room in the house and all who are interested can apply and come into the house of the New National Party. He said that when the NNP returns to government it is their intention to ensure that the government can focus on the needs of the people once more and the development of the country and therefore the upheaval that come with some of the political marriages of convenience needs to be avoided. Dr. Mitchell will be delivering his response to the 2011 Budget on Monday 17th January 2011 at the Grenada Trade Centre.