St. George’s, November 28, 2012 – A former minister in the administration of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has dismissed widely held views that differences over Grenada joining ALBA, or allowing the introduction of casino gambling in the country, were at the core of cabinet divisions that have plagued the government since 2008.
Grenada has observer status in ALBA – the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – which is an attempt at Caribbean and Latin American economic integration that was the brainchild of Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez.
Among ALBA’s full members are CARICOM nations Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica and St. Vincent & The Grenadines.
Supporters of Thomas have often suggested that the prime minister, who has said more emphasis should be placed on CARICOM instead of ALBA, has had to resist a push by some cabinet colleagues who wanted Grenada to join the regional alliance.
However, former Labour Minister Glynis Roberts told talkshow host, Byron Campbell, that ALBA has never been discussed in cabinet.
The casino issue was received as a proposal from a business group and cabinet referred it to the ministry of finance, Roberts said on CC6’s “You Decide’’ television program.
Roberts, who appeared on the program with lawyer Ferron Lowe, was being interviewed on live TV for the first time since delivering the featured address Tuesday at the launch of the National United Front (NUF), Grenada’s newest political party.
Roberts, MP for St. George South since 2003, held various portfolios – including tourism and environment – in the current government that was elected to office in July 2008.
She and four others have since left the government. In September the group of five was among ten people expelled from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“I am here to announce that we are about to embark on a journey of renewal and respect,’’ Roberts said at the launch that included head table guests and party members Lowe, a former NDC executive member; and Jerome Joseph, a former interim leader of the National Democratic Congress.
Roberts, who described herself as the “convener’’ of Tuesday’s event, said NUF was “the launch of a political party where the brand of politics that most Grenadians yearn for can be practiced with no ifs or buts. In other words, we will not open the old playbook where spite, petty politics, quasi-dictatorship, corruption, and laziness abound.’’
She said among the things NUF will try to do is to assist with crafting “viable economic plans that will ensure sustainable development; and create an environment for private sector-driven growth, through a leadership that is driven by vision and not by spite or political expediency.’’
The launch of NUF is the latest development in an intense political environment in which government defeated one no-confidence and was staring down a second before parliament was prorogued; the NDC and the main opposition New National Party have named candidates for upcoming general elections; and with heightened speculation that the polls are likely to be called anytime between now and the first quarter of next year.
