ST GEORGE’S, Grenada - A former top official of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said that Grenadians can expect an “alternative” from which to choose when voting at the country’s next general election.

“Come the next elections, people will have an alternative,” MP Peter David said in a local television interview.

David, twice elected parliamentary representative for the Town of St George, served more than ten years as general secretary of the NDC – one of two parties that have dominated politics in Grenada for almost three decades. The other is the current opposition New National Party.

David, who resigned as a government minister in April, also did not seek a position on the NDC’s executive at the party’s September 30 convention.

In a controversial move, a motion was passed at the convention expelling David and six others from the NDC.

David, who had earlier announced that he was running in upcoming general elections, reiterated the pledge on Wednesday.

“I have always committed myself to people; my entire political life has been about people,” he said. “And come next elections and come the following elections, we will be standing there to represent our people and we are going to provide for them an alternative that will certainly have people as its base.”

The expulsion decision of last Sunday, which also affected four former NDC government ministers, was a demonstration of a “lack of transparency, the lack of democracy and the lack of due process,” David said.

“I think it was a dark day for democracy not only in the NDC but in the political life of Grenada,” he charged.

“Here it is an organization has a constitution; the constitution gives a clear procedure for dealing with persons whom you believe violated the principles of the party. It says that the convention cannot bring disciplinary actions against people. It is there for you to read. So, we are going to take whatever action is necessary.”

Challenging the decision of Sunday is not about membership of the party, the former NDC general secretary explained.

“I’m not fighting to be a member of the NDC. I’m fighting for our constitutional rights,” David said. “And the question is, were they violated by the same government, the same people, who claim every day to stand for respect for institutions? That is the issue – not my membership of the NDC; that is neither here nor there at this time. I think the bigger issue is the way we are headed.”

According to David, “it is always said that for evil to triumph it is sufficient that good men do nothing.”

He said he was amazed that there were people Sunday “sitting in the room; there were people who support this government; there were people who sat there quietly who know better; there were people who know that what was done was a violation of our constitutional rights; but yet they stayed silent.”