The rift between former Grenada Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell and his former long-time political colleague Dr. Lawrence Joseph is widening within the opposition New National Party (NNP).
THE NEW TODAY has obtained confidential correspondence written by Dr. Joseph in which he launched an attack on a Mitchell-inspired move to keep Assistant General Secretary of the party Peter David from contesting the position of Party leader at the next NNP convention.
There are reports within certain quarters of the NNP that a special committee that was set up to screen candidates has made a recommendation that only persons who are deemed “conservatives” will be allowed to put their names on the ballot paper to contest for the post of Political Leader of the party.
The move is seen as one aimed at keeping out David who expressed an interest in the top job after the NNP lost the general election to the Dickon Mitchell-led Congress party at the 2022 general election. Dr. Mitchell is believed to be backing former Solicitor General Dwight Horsford to become the new NNP boss and former Education Minister Emmalin Pierre to fill the position of Deputy Political Leader of the party.
The NNP has been beset by internal bickering since its loss at the polls with Mitchell accusing David of wanting to mash up the party over his leadership ambitions.
In his comment on the issue at hand, Dr. Joseph who also served as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs under a former NNP regime said: “It has never been the case since the establishment of the Party over thirty-nine years ago that a screening committee had to approve or disapprove any names for nominations to offices before elections at a National Convention. Nominations were always open for legitimate members of the Party”.
The NNP foundation member who helped to draft the party’s Constitution back in 1984 also branded the current National Executive of the party under Mitchell’s leadership as one that “has no legitimacy”.
Following is the full text of the opinion issued by Dr. Joseph on the current impasse within the NNP:
I have been requested by a member of the New National Party (hereinafter called “the Applicant”) to give an opinion on certain developments within the New National Party (hereinafter called “the Party”).
The Applicant stated that he is making the request to me not only because I am an Attorney at Law, but also because of my longstanding connections with the Party. (In fact, I was responsible for organising the first Draft of the Party’s Constitution in 1984 and have been the first elected Chairman of the Party.)
It is now general knowledge that the legitimate National Executive of the Party which was elected at a National Convention prior to the last general Elections in Grenada in June 2022 purported to remain as the National Executive of the Party for over two years without being re-elected.
The Applicant stated that on the 18th day of July 2024 this body of persons which purports to be the Executive of the Party took a decision to establish a Screening Committee for the purpose of approving or disapproving potential candidates before they are nominated for elections to the various offices of the Party at any upcoming Convention.
Specifically, the Applicant wants an opinion on the following:
(i) Whether the present purported Executive of the Party is legitimate?
(ii) Whether the present purported Executive of the Party has the authority to establish a Screening Committee to approve or disapprove potential candidates for elections pertaining to the various offices within the Party at a Convention.
WHAT DOES THE PARTY’S CONSTITUTION SAY?
(1) The governing Constitution of the Party is the 2015 Amended Edition of the 1984 Constitution which was endorsed by the National Convention on 16th April 2015 at the Westerhall Secondary School in the parish of Saint David (hereinafter called “the Constitution”.)
(2) The Constitution is divided into twelve (12) Articles with each Article having sub-divisions into Clauses.
(3) Article 5 of the Constitution dealing with “Structure” of the Party is the most relevant Article for the purposes of the present discussions.
(4) Clause 3 of Article 5 of the Constitution provides for the following persons to constitute membership of the National Executive of the Party: Party Chairman, Deputy Party Chairman, Political Leader, Deputy Political Leader, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer, Labour Relations Officer, Welfare Officer, Party Members in Parliament, President of the National Youth Arm, President of the National Women’s Arm, Approved Candidates, Approved Caretakers, Seven Floor Members, Organising Secretary, One Representative from New York Support Group, and Five Zonal Coordinators.
(5) Clause 3 (c) of Article 5 gives the National Executive responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Party.
(6) It is important to note that Clause 3 (d) of Article 5 mandates that with the exception of a few named officers, the National Executive shall be elected annually by the National Convention.
(7) Clause 5 © of Article 5 constitutes the National Convention as “the supreme authority” of the Party.
(8) Clause 5 (d) of Article 5 mandates that the National Convention shall meet at least once annually.
(9) Clause 4 (b) of Article 5 of the Constitution authorises the General Council to be the governing body of the Party and shall make decisions on behalf of the Party subject to the overriding authority of the National Convention.
The General Council also has the power to make, alter and rescind rules for good and effective governance, control and functioning of the Party.
(10) Clause 4 (a) of Article 5 of the Constitution authorises that the General Council shall consist of: the National Executive, three delegates from each constituency branch, one delegate from each Village Party Group, One delegate from each Support Group, Three delegates from each National Youth Arm, Three delegates from the National Women’s Arm and five Zonal Coordinators.
(11) Clause 4 © of Article 5 of the Constitution mandates that the General Council must meet at least once every six months.
OPINION:
In discussing the issue as to whether the body of persons presently running the Party as its Executive is legitimate, one must look at what the Constitution of the Party says with respect to the establishment of the National Executive.
Clause 3 (d) of Article 5 of the Constitution stipulates that the National Executive shall be elected annually at a National Convention of the Party.
The above-mentioned clause has not been adhered to by the Party for over two years without any reasonable excuse. In fact, no National Convention nor General Council have been held for over two years, so there was no authority for establishing a legitimate National Executive.
In my opinion the present body which purports to take over the role of the National Executive of the Party has no legitimacy. Based upon the above the second question is easily disposable. The present body which purports to be the National Executive of the Party cannot introduce new rules which go against past practices of the party.
It has never been the case since the establishment of the Party over thirty-nine years ago that a screening committee had to approve or disapprove any names for nominations to offices before elections at a National Convention. Nominations were always open for legitimate members of the Party.
It is interesting to note that the present state of the Party has been highlighted in calypsos which placed First and Second in this year’s Calypso Monarch Competition entitled respectively as “The Party Belongs to Me” and “Mash it Up”.
Dated this 19th day of August 2024
Dr. Lawrence A. Joseph, PhD.