The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has embarked on what its Acting Political Leader Adrian Thomas has described as a “serious recruitment drive” geared towards creating a united alternative to bring about “meaningful change” to the status quo in Grenada for the next General Elections.
Addressing a virtual press conference in St. George’s last week Wednesday, Thomas announced the party’s alignment with the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition Tobias Clement, who filled the vacant post in the Lower House of Parliament in April 2020, after resigning in 2019, from the ruling New National Party (NNP) of Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, which won all parliamentary seats in the last two (2) consecutive elections.
Thomas said the partnership with Clement, and his 3-member team of opposition Senators, comes as the NDC explores new strategies as part of its mandate to strengthen its base with a view to ensuring that the party secures enough parliamentary seats to form the next Government at the end of the highly anticipated election poll, which is constitutionally due in the next 20 months or so.
He told reporters that as part of the recruitment drive, the party is also “engaging other political organisations, groups and individuals but did not identify them.
He said it was not the right moment for this kind of information to be put out in the public domain “because we are in the middle of discussions” but gave assurances that the public will be updated once the discussions are finalised.
According to Thomas, as a body, the NDC “agreed to engage stakeholders who can contribute to the building (of) the party and also Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
“We have been doing a lot of work in the background and we have been mobilising, we have all structures in place, we have plans, and we are moving forward because we know elections is less than 20 months away, and we have to be prepared, not only as a party but as an organisation…,” he said.
“We have been holding talks with a lot of people, and a lot of people have been coming forward. In the last couple of days people have been registering, coming in scores, joining the National Democratic Congress and this is very, very positive,” he added.
Opposition Leader Clement, who applauded the NDC on its new approach to politics said “when you look at the political climate in Grenada…the time is now to put the best foot forward to stem the tide” of the ruling NNP administration and rescue Grenada.
Clement, who had cited issues of “dictatorship” and “governance,” when he departed from the NNP is of the view that “if we have to go forward in a meaningful way, we must come together as opposition groups… in the spirit of unity (and) reconciliation to bring our resources, skills, and talent together.”
He stressed that at this point in time unity is very important “for us to get it right” in Grenada.
“And we must get it right,” declared Clement who is the current Member of Parliament for the St. George North-east constituency, a seat he won for the NNP in the 2013 and 2018 General Elections.
“What we have to look at, is a developmental platform for Grenada, and the people of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique so that we can move from strength to strength, and build a better country, and leave a better country for all people not just for some…,” he told reporters.
“…If we can be united as a front, and in unison work together to bring benefits to our people then I do believe history would remember us in a way that is favourable because at the end of the day, what we leave when it is all said and done is the memory of what we did while we were here and I don’t want this moment to pass,” he said.
When asked if he would be vying for the leadership of the NDC when the party’s annual convention is held in the next few weeks, the Opposition Leader, who confirmed that he has not formally joined the NDC said that he is “not so presumptuous to just step into the National Democratic Congress, and just rise to the ranks of leadership.”
However, he said that although the NDC confirmed that “all levels of the (NDC) Executive would be open up to me and my senators…with consultations…it is the best fit (for the leadership role) that would go forward.”
The press conference was also attended by Clement’s team of Opposition Senators, with the exception of Sen. Rolanda Mc Queen, who was out of the island.
Senators Tessa St. Cyr, and Matthew Joseph were on hand, and voiced full support for the unity alliance being formed with the NDC.
Sen. Joseph reiterated sentiments expressed by Sen. St. Cyr that “the time is right and ripe for all of us (who are) of like minds to come together, and try to rescue this country.”
The announcement of the NDC/Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition partnership comes days after the official transitioning of the Dr. Patrick Antoine-led The Grenada Movement (TGM) into a full-fledged political party on Emancipation Day (August 01, 2021).
Some political analysts have said that a unity among the opposition forces would be the most effective path towards unseating the incumbent NNP administration of Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, the island’s longest serving Prime Minister.
Dr. Mitchell has been personally calling Ministers in recent days to examine them on their readiness for the upcoming poll.
THE NEW TODAY understands that the party is split on whether the Prime Minister should call an early poll with some favouring it and others indicating that the mood in the country at the moment especially during the illegal carnival activities that took place on August 9 and 10 carried too much of anti-Keith Mitchell sentiments.