My fellow Grenadians.
It is my pleasure to address
you today, in keeping with my promise to keep you updated
and informed on the state of affairs in our dearly beloved
country.
I do this with a heavy heart,
not because of any desire to avoid my responsibility, but
because it brings into focus the stark reality of the dismal
social, economic and political situation that the country
and its people are facing today. Brothers and sisters, for
never before has our nation fallen so far so fast. Never
before have we seen great promise turned into such despair
and loss of hope. Never before have we been witness to such
a drastic decline in the standard of living and the quality
of life of our people.
But while we mourn, while many
of us groan under the weight that we are forced to bear,
there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel, that light
is the opportunity that is soon coming when we the people of
Grenada will be able to throw off the shackles of dismal
administration. This administration is without a heart, it
has no concern for the people. It is an administration that
does not have what it takes to lead our country even in
normal times. In these difficult times, it is even worse.
This Government is struggling to come to grips with the
problems of today's Grenada in today's world. To put it
simply, they are not able.
So I join with the song writer
who penned the very pertinent words 'Oh the People that
are weak, don't you mourn. We shall overcome someday'. And
to this we can all say in chorus “Yes we shall” Yes we shall
soon escape from this prison of backwardness that we are now
in. We shall soon breathe the fresh air of a new and
brighter day in our country. It is a day that will signal a
new beginning for all our people.
Until that day comes, the
leadership of the New National Party intends to keep our
promise and to fulfil our responsibility to keep you the
people informed. Until that day we will continue to report
to you the people on significant developments and in
particular to alert you when the government is engaging in
behaviour which is not in keeping with your interest. Until
that day we will remain ever watchful for we are fully aware
of the fact that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
We will alert you on matters
relating to how your money is being spent at a time when the
both the unemployed and the working poor are unable to make
ends meet, hard working public servants are unable to get
increases, the wages of poor road workers have been cut,
while they are getting less work; at a time when businesses
are closing and general unemployment is skyrocketing.
It is paradoxical that while
the Government is showing little regard for the plight of
the people, they are continuing to lavish themselves and
their few highly favoured and privileged supporters with the
people's money. I have spoken time and again about the many
trips abroad at taxpayers' expense and the practice of
employing supporters on contracts with fat salaries while
regular Government employees-teachers, nurses, public
servants, police officers, road workers, maintenance workers
etc are made to try to survive on 2007 salaries in 2011. In
the private sector bus owners and drivers, fishermen and
fish vendors, large and small farmers, market vendors, the
people who sell snacks and refreshment to make a living are
all struggling. When we take note of these things, when we
consider the fact that the workers in the debushing
programme are being made to work longer hours for less pay
while party bigwigs sit at desks in ministries doing
nothing, we can only be consoled by the knowledge that The
Good Lord is watching over all of us, that he cares for us,
and that he will bring an end to this situation sooner or
later.
This Government really does not
have a heart. It does not show love for the people, hence
the anti-people and anti-poor people decisions. There is no
love among its members, hence the continuous infighting. Any
leadership which behaves in this manner cannot inspire and
instil confidence in its followers. Any Government which is
seriously committed to its responsibilities and has any
feeling of solidarity with its people will certainly act
differently.
We of the New National Party
note with great concern that while all this is taking place,
the Government is seriously failing in its responsibility to
provide basic goods and services including teaching and
learning materials for schools, medical supplies-including
essential drugs- for the General Hospital. The government
is also failing to maintain essential public infrastructure
such as Government buildings, roads and bridges. Failure to
make a stitch in time with regard to these public assets
will certainly place a great financial burden on the
Grenadian public in the very near future.
It is now very obvious to all
that the vast majority of the people, including most of
those who voted for this Government are hurting and hurting
badly. The people's quality of life and standard of living
has declined drastically from what it used to be four years
ago. What I mentioned before about the plight of workers in
the public sector is also true for private sector workers.
They all have to contend with higher taxes and prices while
salaries and wages are more or less stagnant.
The population, in general, is
under great stress. People are getting physically sick and
some are even dying as a result of stress. So in addition to
losing their jobs and being among the long term unemployed,
many people have to contend with high health-care expenses.
Tragically, families are losing loved ones.
In the last three and a half
years an unprecedented number of businesses have had to
close, resulting in job losses for many people. This
includes of all types and in different industries and
sectors, from general wholesale and retail outlets to
hotels, to construction companies, to professional
businesses to institutions which specialized in providing
financial support to the poor. This is very clear for all
to see. Yet, the Minister of Finance said in his budget
presentation that he was not aware that all this was
happening. We also know, my fellow Grenadians, that as a
result of the Government's lack of vision and foresight, new
investment is at a standstill.
Recently, the Government
proudly boasted that it had done very much to improve the
climate for investment. It said that the country's ranking
had improved. Well contrary to this boast, and in spite of
the huge amount of money spent to establish a specific
Office for business promotion, the country's ranking has not
improved compared to when the NNP was in office. This fact
is supported by the conclusions of an independent study that
was recently conducted by our own university, the University
of the West Indies. The study concluded that in spite of
this boast, Grenada in fact has a very low ranking when
compared with other OECS and Caribbean countries in terms of
creating a climate which encourages business start-up and
development. A lot of taxpayers' money has been spent, and
our country has not realized any benefits. It is a waste of
scarce resources, at a time when the country cannot afford
it. Our people know too well that in spite of all the talk
and all the money spent, Grenada is not attracting
investment; we are in fact losing business.
My fellow Grenadians, the
little work on projects that we are now seeing or expecting
in the public sector is what was agreed and secured years
ago when the NNP was in office. This includes the Grenville
Market project which was approved in 2006 and launched in
2007. Had the NNP remained in office, implementation of this
project would not be just beginning, it would have been
completed. By now we would have had additional projects of
the same or similar nature. In addition, the people of St.
Andrew and the country as a whole would have already started
to realize the benefits such as better and healthier
facilities and improved markets for their produce, which
would have lead to increased production and greater income
for farmers and other producers. These were the intended
benefits of the project, not the construction itself. The
delays mean that the people will take a much longer time to
realize the intended benefits.
Added to this some projects and
initiatives have been lost altogether. The fact is that
this Government has a history of either delaying projects or
causing them to be lost altogether. I draw your attention
to the following:
1) The second phase of the port
Expansion Project has been lost due to Government
procrastination and lack of unified and decisive decision
making.
2) The above-mentioned
Grenville Market project has been delayed for more that
three and a half years as a result of procrastination,
poor decision-making and a basic lack of understanding of
project implementation and management.
3) Now that Kirani James has
done well they are suddenly interested in completing the
athletic section of the National Stadium. As a matter of
fact, they said that they came into office in time to stop
it. Can you imagine that? Had the Government followed up on
the project, the stadium would be finished a long time ago
and we would now be producing more Kirani James'. I
understand that they have agreed to the completion of the
stadium at the expense of a full 1000 of the 2000 houses
agreed during the NNP Government, Under the NNP Grenadians
would have had both the houses and the Stadium. And they
would have been completed long ago.
4) The Farm Roads Project has
been lost ( a severe blow to agricultural development). It
goes without saying that good farm roads are important to
agricultural development. Therefore farmers in areas where
roads were scheduled to be built or upgraded have lost a
great deal. The people of Willis, New Hampshire, Grenville
Vale, Beausejour and Happy Hill must by now be regretting
the loss of the benefits that would have come with the
implementation of the second phase of the access road from
Willis through Grenville Vale to Beausejour. This road would
have been of tremendous benefit to the people and farmers of
the area as it would have contributed to an increase in
agricultural production and an improvement in the quality of
life of the people.
This is of course directly
related to the Government's great zeal to get rid of CCC.
The result is that hundreds of Grenadians have lost jobs-and
their families are suffering -hundreds more will not be
getting jobs, farmers and the general public have lost
significant benefits, and the country has gotten a bad name
with many international developers and investors.
This Government's record of
excessive delays in project implementation, and outright
cancellation and loss of projects have resulted in the loss
of employment opportunities and income as well as the
benefits that the people of Grenada would have had after
completion and during operations. It is as if the Government
thinks that it is really harming the NNP. It has to
understand that it is the people that it claims to love that
are really hurting badly because they are in fact losing so
much. It is obvious that contrary to its claims, This
Administration does not really have a heart. At least it
does not have a heart for the people.
In spite of this dismal
situation, we hear boasting about what the Government is
doing even though in most cases they are only completing NNP-inspired
and designed projects, which have been delayed so long as a
result of years of procrastination, poor decision-making and
spite.
The young people of the country
are hurting as a result of lack of opportunity for
employment and self improvement. Under the present
situation, they see no hope for the future. We are all
aware of the evils that have befallen many of them as they
have no opportunities and have lost hope. As a people, we
need to make a stitch in time to prevent an entire
generation from being lost. It is with some sense of
foreboding that I recall a young lady asking me 'Dr.
Mitchell, are you aware that the country is losing a whole
generation of young people?' This is sad indeed, but it is a
real possibility. It is a reflection of the way it is at
this very depressing time in our country's history.
Fellow Grenadians, as if to add
insult to injury, this Government continues to embarrass
Grenada in the international community by failing to honour
national debt obligations. You would have heard the recent
talk about the Government's failure to service the Taiwanese
loans behaving as if debts that the country incurred when
the NNP was in Government are not the responsibility of the
NDC Government. This is laughable for we are fully aware
that the first loan was taken long before the NNP came into
Government in 1995. It is also laughable because right now
they are busy implementing-and boasting-about projects for
which the NNP secured the financing-Grenville Market Project
and so on- while at the same time trying to escape the
responsibility to service Government debt. This Government
is already embarrassing the people of Grenada. They want to
embarrass us even more.
The truth, my fellow Grenadians
is that no government anywhere in the world could refuse to
service its country's national debt-or portions of it-
because it was not in office at the time. Tell me where else
in the world is this happening. A national responsibility is
a national responsibility and all those who obtain political
power must realize and respect that. If the present practice
continues, our country will lose all respect in
international circles, nobody would want to do business with
us and countries and organizations would resort to whatever
action they see fit to recover their money. This will bring
disaster to our people.
It has been said that this
situation has occurred because budgetary provisions were not
made. That kind of omission, whether deliberate or not, is
very unfortunate, as it can hurt our country very badly.
When the NNP came into office
in 1995, the country was riddled with debt. As many of you
know, the people were burdened by a Debt Service Levy. We
did not engage in dodging and complaining, but set about
taking our responsibilities seriously. Throughout our term
we were able to engage in creative strategies to ensure that
we serviced the country's debt regardless of who was in
power when loans were taken. We did not seek to blame
everybody and everything as this Government does. No, we
serviced the debt, thereby maintaining the confidence of the
international community while we took measures to promote
growth with the purpose of improving our people's lives and
earning more revenue to pay off the debt. You would note
that this kind of growth-promotion strategy is what is being
recommended to enable European countries to handle the
current debt crisis. Instead of promoting growth, this
Government focuses on cutting everything except the big
salaries and perks for its members and those who are very
close to them. It may be difficult to imagine, but it is
true that the public sector wage bill has increased by
approximately ten million dollars per month, yes ten million
dollars more each and every month-$120 million per year.
This money could have been used to increase public servants
salaries, pay off some of the debt, provide road workers
with more work at more decent wages, provide assistance to
the poor and unfortunate among us, and much more. No, my
fellow Grenadians, this $120 million per year is not used
for these things, instead it is used to provide big salaries
and allowances to highly favoured bigwigs and party
supporters. Such a thing was never done under the NNP. We
will never do such a thing to the people of Grenada.
We urge this Government to take
good note of what is happening in the world and to be extra
careful of what it does for it faces the possibility of
being unable to secure international financing in the very
near future. The real losers will be the people of Grenada.
My dear People, the New
National Party has been keenly observing the worsening
situation in the country over the past three years and has
been giving consideration to the strategies and the specific
approaches and initiatives we will use to get this country
back on a sound footing in the shortest possible space of
time. Mind you, we will not make empty and unrealistic
promises to you. You have had enough of that and have been
disappointed enough! Right now you are suffering the effects
of broken promises.
But as you know we have a good
track record of keeping the economy growing and meeting the
peoples' needs, even through very difficult times. Yes our
record shows that through the good times and bad times, even
in the face of great disasters, we have managed well
resulting in significant direct and indirect benefits to our
people. There is no one who can honestly doubt the fact that
under the NNP the lot of the people of Grenada improved
significantly. No one can doubt the fact that under the NNP
the Grenadian people were much better off than they are
today.
We of the NNP are confident
that with our very good record of turning things around
quickly, with our promised inclusive approach to Governance,
with the confidence that we enjoy among the local, regional
and international business community, with our good track
record with relevant development organizations and with the
involvement of all of our people in the rebuilding process,
we will be able to turn things around in a short space of
time. We are not saying it will be easy, but we have the
good reasons to be confident.
On the basis of our ongoing
contacts, we can give you the assurance that many business
people who have left our country in the last three years and
others who stayed away because of the lack of confidence are
waiting for the opportunity to return and invest in our
country. We will also put in place a package of measures,
including relevant incentives, to attract new incentives.
Among these measures will be the issuing of Alien Land
Holding Licences for serious, credible foreign investors,
In addition, our good relations
with the development and donor community should help us to
unlock stalled projects and to very quickly negotiate new
ones. Fellow Grenadians, this is not just old talk and fancy
promises. These assurances are given on the basis of
continued engagement with these partners and their
representatives. We take our responsibilities to protect
the interest of our people and the future of our nation very
seriously.
Very importantly, we will put
an end to the kind of political tribalism that is practiced
in Grenada these days. We intend to quickly mobilize and
utilize the energies of all our people regardless as to
whether they support the NNP or not. The kind of governance
in which people are declared undesirable and their skills
and competencies overlooked even though they are ready and
willing to serve, must be ended. Getting out of this
terrible situation dictates that all willing and capable
hands must be on board. For the sake of our children, we
must put an end to this continuing wastage of valuable human
resources. We must put an end to the politics and related
practices of spite. Our philosophy continues to be based
and focused on the people, ALL THE PEOPLE, the real
facilitators of growth and development in every country.
We will also put an end to
harassment and witch hunting. Given the gravity of the
situation, we will have no time for that. Once we are
confident that people are honest and productive, we will
engage them and give them the opportunity to serve.
Within the framework of the
engagement and mobilization of all our resources and
capabilities, we will give due consideration to the role
that the local private sector will have to play in the
process of recovery and rebuilding. The New National Party
firmly believes that the private sector, and not the
Government, is the engine of growth in any country. This
truism is accepted internationally almost without
exception. We will therefore provide the leadership,
including the incentives and other support measures,
required to get the local private sector investing again and
to attract regional and international investors. Specific
steps will be taken to support public/private partnerships
and partnerships between local and foreign investors.
All Grenadians are fully aware
that construction provides work for thousands of Grenadians,
particularly our young people. Therefore no Government
should neglect this very important industry. Accordingly, we
will focus on getting construction back on its feet. One of
the first measures we will take as a Government will be
aimed at reducing the cost of construction inputs such as
sand, gravel and other building materials. This will include
a review of the Value Added Tax as it is now designed and
implemented with a view to adjusting it in some cases and
removing it in others.
We are also aware of the heavy
burden the very wide coverage of the VAT places on poor
people, covering funeral expenses and so on and thereby
reducing the amount of money poor people have for basic
survival. We will give serious consideration to reducing or
removing such burdens.
An NNP government will give
particular emphasis to the generation of economic activity
in rural areas with particular focus on home and cottage
industries. We know that if given the required inspirational
leadership and support, our people are able to bring
themselves out of poverty and in the process contribute to
the economic development of their country. Our people are
not lazy! No, they are not! What they lack now is the
visionary leadership required to get them fully involved in
economic activities.
We will not neglect the public
sector. It plays a critical and pivotal role in the general
administration of this country. Without a motivated,
efficient and effective public sector, things will simply
fall apart. Therefore the needs of the service and public
servants will be given priority attention.
As part of the process of
broad consultation and the involvement of the general
population and the various interest groups, we will consult
with the business community and the Trade Union Movement
towards a progressive wages and incomes policy-one that will
give due consideration to the needs of workers, while
ensuring that investors and employers are not unnecessarily
burdened. In this regard, we will take steps to
re-establish the Wages Council. It will serve as a forum for
addressing such matters.
NNP will avoid the poor
governance demonstrated by the divisiveness and infighting
within this Government. We will give the country the kind of
united and focused leadership required at this time.
Fellow Grenadians, The
situation I have described shows beyond any doubt that in
the last three and a half years, our country has lost its
way. It has moved from economic growth and development to a
continuously worsening situation in which people are finding
it more and more difficult to cope. At the same time,
Government disunity and infighting have become the order of
the day, bringing embarrassment to all of us, Victimization
and spite have taken priority over the obligation to improve
the lives of all Grenadians, regardless of political
leanings, our country lost the respect that it once
commanded in the regional and international community, many
of our people, in particular our youth, have lost hope. We
are in the wilderness. We need deliverance! And we need it
sooner rather than later!
I therefore take this
opportunity to call on the Government to at least
acknowledge the increasing difficulties that are being faced
by all our people- our workers and their families, our youth
and students, our business community and others- and to
stand up like all responsible Governments do, and shoulder
its responsibility to find solutions, while admitting that
in many cases, it is directly responsible for the situation
since many of the problems we now face could have been
avoided. After almost four years, the Government is still
engaging in finger pointing. If our country is to recover
and move forward, the Government must put an end to this
practice and instead focus on uniting the people to
effectively address our problems.
In so doing, the Government
must now fully engage the Parliamentary Opposition. This
would of course require that it puts a stop to the politics
of division, spite, hate, character assassination and
political victimization and that it takes decisive
corrective action to unite the nation in facing this
unprecedented crisis.
The NNP stands ready, willing
and able to contribute towards returning this country to
peace, prosperity and good governance. We will join all
patriotic Grenadians in fulfilling this solemn
responsibility.
With the help of the Good lord
and the united involvement and support of the people, the
NNP stands ready to work towards securing a bright and
prosperous future for all the people of Grenada, Carriacou
and Petite Martinique.
Thank you! AND MAY GOD BLESS US
All!
