With two days to go before the ruling party holds its convention, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell is trying to provide a show of forces for its supporters at a public rally on the same day.
THE NEW TODAY has seen a report which suggests that the party is engaged in an all-out endeavour to bring out its support base to showcase the power of “Yellow” in front of two visiting Prime Ministers – Roosvelt Skerrit of Dominica and Philip J. Pierre of St Lucia.
A total of 25 buses are coming from the St David’s Constituency of the Prime Minister which can be considered as “a garrison” for NDC over the years with the likes of the late Michael Andrew and Michael Dennis Lett.
The St George North East constituency of former government minister Ron Redhead is listed as providing 15 buses to take party members and supporters to the rally at the Beausejour playing field in St George North-west.
This was another constituency with a strong following through founding leader George Brizan and then Nazim Burke, the former Minister of Finance.
Early indication is that Redhead is favoured to hold onto the seat in the next election following reports in several quarters that the Caretaker for the opposition New National Party (NNP), former New York policeman Nimrod Ollivierre is not making any headway in the area.
A few NNP operatives have suggested that former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell who has indicated that he will not seek re-election after holding on to the constituency since 1984, should hand over the mantle to Nimrod to secure a place for him in Parliament.
The NDC is trying to show strength in the four constituencies in St Andrew’s which have been dominated by NNP over the years.
Former NNP government minister Delma Thomas who is now the Minister of Mental Health with the Congress administration is leading the way with nine buses and from all indications the number can grow in the few remaining days before the Convention.
The same is being said of St Andrew North-east held by NNP’s Kate Lewis as NDC’s Tessa St Cyr has 4 buses already lined up but an insider confided that the figure is expected to jump to eleven buses as more persons are showing interest in attending the rally.
The constituencies which are lagging behind with transportation to the rally are St Patrick’s East and West, St Mark, St John, and St George South-east.
There is a widespread feeling in many quarters of the country that these are some of the areas that are badly in need of stepped up political activities and organisation by Congress in its bid to get another 5-year term in office.
The NDC as a party has wasted two-and-a-half years in not being engaged in serious political work where structures are concerned to give the Prime Minister the opportunity to call a snap election against the opposition NNP which is currently in a state of disarray.
The current rulers should have no fear from its former Comrade Peter David who resigned from NNP a few weeks ago and is trying to form some kind of a party or movement to fulfill his long-held ambition to become the Prime Minister of the country.
David might struggle in the coming months and years to be in the race as both NNP and NDC put their respective election machinery in full gear for the bruising political battle that lies ahead.
Grenada has virtually returned to the days of a two-party democracy with little or no room for a third force in politics on the island.
The current Prime Minister is in the driver’s seat at the moment and if NDC gets the political strategy including organisational structures that are needed correct and working, it would be difficult for the NNP to defeat the party at the polls.
The NNP boogeyman is Keith Mitchell who lost the 2022 election for his party and his presence in the upcoming national poll will once again turn out to be negative for the organisation.
Despite stepping down as Political Leader of NNP in December, the Keith Mitchell shadow is continuing to hang over the party and not making the new leader, former Education Minister Emmalin Pierre cut a good sight at public meetings.
Mitchell still looks to be very much in charge on the stage as he comes to the function with a bodyguard or two while Pierre often cuts a lonely picture.
The centre of attraction is still the former Prime Minister who should be giving the party room to breathe in some fresh air.
Mitchell is not offering anything new in his addresses which are mainly overloaded with attacks on the current Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell who defeated him in the last election.
The NNP needs to start addressing to the Grenadian people what it intends to do in office if given another chance, that is much different to the current controllers.
The party is also running out of time in terms of finding new and adequate candidates as replacements in areas such as Town of St George, South St George, St George North-east, St George North-west, St George South-east, St David, and St Patrick West.
Both the NNP and NDC are definitely not ready for elections in 2025.