Her Majesty’s Opposition is
disappointed and dismayed with recent pronouncements made by the two year old
Tillman Thomas administration with respect to their involvement in the stopping
and or slowing down of many major investment projects in the country since
taking up office.
We believe
that it is time that the current administration desists from misinforming the
Grenadian public and begin to take full responsibility for what is happening
under their stewardship. The time for making excuses and playing games is over
and it now time to face the hard facts.
Because of the
parochial policies of the Tillman Thomas administration, they were either unable
to or unwilling to continue many projects started or negotiated by the N.N.P
while in office. This has resulted in the loss of many investment opportunities,
an increase in the level of unemployment and a deepening of the economic crisis
on the back of Grenadians. It is interesting to note that the impact of the
global recession has not been felt in other countries as severely as in Grenada
because of the creative and ingenious policies implemented by these governments
to cushion the impact of the recession on their population.
The NDC
government has refused to follow up on many arrangements negotiated by N.N.P to
implement major projects like those involving the Consolidated Contractors
Company (C.C.C), the Caribbean Development Bank Project, and the Stadium Project
among others. These projects should have been ongoing in the country at this
time, providing major employment opportunities for thousands Grenadians who are
on the breadline today because of government’s lack of vision and insight.
Furthermore,
the many attacks in the media by government officials and surrogates of the
government on investors have also played a tremendous role in the slowing down
and halting of many of these projects.
The utterances
of the Minister of Sports, for example, that he came into office at the right
time to stop the stadium project because it was ‘too big’ and Minister Joseph
Gilbert’s claim that C.C.C. was corrupt and Prime Minister Tillman Thomas
allegation that Lewis Hamilton and the Grand Beach project was a ‘corrupt’ deal
all played a pivotal role in the present situation as it relates to the loss of
major investment for our country’s development and the increasing economic
hardships faced by our people.
One will
recall that the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition, Dr. Keith Mitchell, had
warned the government that those misleading and irresponsible statements were
dangerous and were going to have far reaching negative economic repercussions on
the country, but they never took heed and today the country is paying the price.
Her Majesty’s
Opposition therefore urges Grenadians to continue to hold their government
responsible for their actions and inactions and to demand integrity
accountability and transparency in their management of our national affairs.
