The Delma Thomas resignation at the beginning of the week as a Member of the New National Party (NNP) should be followed closely by those with a political eye on Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique.
The resignation was not surprising given the amount of dirty water that was flowing under “THE HOUSE” of the NNP between party leader Dr. Keith Mitchell and some of the members of the political organsiation especially those who contested seats in the June 23, 2002 general election.
The female Member of Parliament for the rural St. Andrew North-west constituency released enough information at her own Town Hall meeting a few weeks ago to suggest that there can be no rapprochement between her and the man who was once her mentor in politics.
The most damaging revelation from MP Thomas is that the former Prime Minister wanted her to go out and “curse” the party’s Deputy General Secretary and former Agriculture Minister Peter David as the person who was trying to mash up the NNP.
The underlying factor is Mr. David’s intention to challenge for the post of new Party boss at the upcoming convention when delegates will be asked to cast a vote for the new Political Leader of the island’s most successful political party in general elections on the island.
The decision of MP Thomas to quit NNP will be a major blow to David and his ambitions.
The loss of such a key ally and her voting delegates will make the path for David much more difficult to take over the top job in the main opposition party.
The 1979-83 Grenada Revolutionary Figure is not in control of any of the key organs of the NNP, especially the Secretariat that is responsible for putting together the final list of delegates for the convention.
This is the key and Roland Bhola, the current NNP General Secretary is considered pro-Keith Mitchell along with the party’s Deputy Political Leader Gregory Bowen who is helping to plot the script for David’s defeat.
At this moment, the Peter David Camp is only engaged in Show Biz as Keith Mitchell is totally in charge of the NNP machinery that will take the party into the much anticipated convention.
The major hurdle at the moment for the 76-year old NNP party boss is to find someone who will represent him in the fight with David on the Convention Floor.
The two names now in the public domain are attorneys Derick Sylvester and Dwight Horsford.
Sylvester is questionable given his recent attempt to land the top post with Congress before Dickon Mitchell came along while Horsford who has strong NNP credentials is outside of the country on assignment in Anguilla as Attorney-General.
It is not known whether Horsford might take the bait given his relationship with Dr. Mitchell over the years.
Talk show host Kem Jones who was a former member of the NNP broke with the party in the build up to the 2008 general election after Dr. Mitchell single-handedly ignored the decision taken by the St George North-east NNP Constituency branch to give the nod to Horsford to go forward as the candidate and selected Kennedy Roberts as the candidate.
It was the same kind of heavy-handed approach by Dr. Mitchell in 2018 when the delegates on the sister isle of Carriacou & Petite Martinique gave the nod to Norland Cox but he chose attorney-at-law Kindra Maturine-Stewart.
Dr. Mitchell also angered many in the hierarchy of the NNP including the late Foreign Minister Elvin Nimrod when he gave the Attorney General position after the 2013 general election to Cajeton Hood and not Horsford.
Nimrod is said to have played a major role in landing the lesser job of Solicitor General for Horsford who is considered one of the best brains in civil law in the country along with current Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
It is clear that there is a level of distrust between the two and most likely due to the failure of the ex-Prime Minister to be in a position to control Horsford who has a reputation as being one of the most independent thinkers in the party.
Is Horsford prepared to abandon his job in Anguilla and come back home and rescue Dr. Mitchell from the political quagmire that he has now found himself in within the party?
The truth of the matter is that Dr. Mitchell is seemingly unaware of the growing amount of dissatisfaction within the NNP camp against his continued presence as Political Leader of the party.
There are reports that the resentment is also felt deep within the NNP Head office on Marrast Hill in the Town of St George Constituency.
It is quite understandable because several of the NNP operatives who understand the trappings of power and money do not see him as viable and able to lead the party to victory in the next general election now the nation has signaled its intention to lean more and more into the direction of a new generation of younger leaders.
The next six to eight months will be crucial for the NNP and its place in the political landscape in light of reports that several persons associated with the party over the years have begun to engage Congress and new Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.