As Grenada prepares to observe its 49th anniversary of independence from Britain on Tuesday, THE NEW TODAY would like to seize the opportunity to renew its commitment and proud record of being a totally independent media house that is outside of the control of any political party in the country.
There is a misconception that this media outfit is influenced by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of new Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and will turn a blind eye to wrong-doing by its members, operatives and associates.
This is just a figment of the imagination of those who have not objectively followed the path, course and trajectory of this newspaper over the years.
THE NEW TODAY has exposed several acts of corruption under the former New National Party (NNP) of the defeated long-standing Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.
In recent weeks, it is this outlet and none of the other media houses in the country which highlighted the suspicious manner in which elements on the Board of Directors of the state-owned Gravel & Concrete statutory body attempted to use their powers to circumvent the rules to purchase furniture and other related items to put money into their pockets.
This newspaper holds no brief for those who willfully and intentionally attempt to use their positions on state entities to enrich themselves.
The kinds of corruption that took place under NNP and its operatives will not be given any safe haven by THE NEW TODAY to happen within Congress.
It is a fact that some Grenadians get involved in politics for selfish reasons especially to lay their hands on the financial purse of the State and or State bodies.
THE NEW TODAY will be the first to admit that there are questionable characters on both sides of the political divide in the country.
The young and upcoming political figures in NDC are ignorant of the past dealings of many including some who are hanging around the corridors of power.
A casual check with some of the elders in the party should provide leads as to those who need to be watched closely including the one who was associated with suspicious dealings with the Free School books programme during the 2008-13 Congress government.
If a serious vetting process is put in place by NDC that involves a team of experienced persons then several individuals who managed to gain entry through the front door would be pushed out of the backdoor in very short order.
THE NEW TODAY believes that Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell will provide a much different type of leadership from his predecessor in office.
An early indication came when he decided to recall all foreign-based diplomats and announced that the policy to be implemented in foreign relations will not see Grenada being represented by the scores of nationals from Mainland China as was the case with the NNP regime.
It is very doubtful that under Congress, Grenada will see another Shrimp Farm fiasco in which a foreign developer is allowed to sell EC$54.2 million dollars’ worth of passports for a project and walk away with all the funds and never start the project.
To add insult to injury, the nation was hoodwinked by the former Prime Minister into believing that he had launched an investigation into the missing millions from the sale of Grenadian passports.
As Grenada prepares to celebrate its 49th anniversary of independence, the new controllers in the Botanical Gardens headed by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell who is also the Minister responsible for National Security should move with haste to allow the Transformational Agenda to descend upon the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
It’s like a corpse with the current High Command found badly wanting in bringing the type of inspirational leadership that is needed to make the men and women in uniform feel proud to be a member of the Police Force.
Who is really running the Police Force? There appears to be absentee leadership.
The Commissioner gave an order just over a week ago to a Superintendent to do something and up to this day the officer is yet to fulfill it.
Two recent incidents are also a cause for concern in National Security – the failure of RGPF to put in place a protective mechanism around the Prime Minister of the country when he went out to sea as part of the Billfish Tournament, and the other involves the incident over the weekend involving a member of the Security Detail of the Prime Minister.
The information is not looking good and begs the question who was involved in vetting those officers that form part of the security arrangement for the Prime Minister?
There are mounting grumblings in the force and the current leadership is not in a position to address the many problems that will continue to affect RGPF in the years to come.
The issue of sexual harassment of female officers by their male counterparts in “Khaki” will not become a thing of the past any time soon, as elements within the High Command are involved in the nasty and dirty practice.
It calls for new leadership within the Police Force as Grenada embarks upon the next 12 months to reach the milestone of 50 years of being an independent nation in the Eastern Caribbean.