St. George’s, March 16, 2012 – Opposition Leader Keith Mitchell, who recently admonished the nation to follow a path of “peace and harmony’’, appears to now want to demonstrate his commitment to the appeal he made in parliament.
“As human beings in a very small country, it will hurt us all if we choose to live in a state of war with each other. If we choose to live like that we will all be destroyed in the end,’’ Dr. Mitchell said Monday during his presentation on the 2012 budget debate.
The following day, Dr. Mitchell sought the permission of the Speaker of the House, George McGuire, to deliver words of comfort to Labour Minister Glynis Roberts, who moments before was overcome with emotion as she began her budget address.
Roberts, the two-term MP for South St. George for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been juggling her political work with the homecare of her ill husband.
As she broke down in tears, MPs from both the government and opposition sides rushed to her side. Reports are that Roberts subsequently received numerous messages of encouragement from Grenadians nationwide.
Other people referred to her situation on radio call-in shows, with some noting the apparent indifference to her emotional breakdown in parliament from NDC Leader and Prime Minister, Tillman Thomas.
They claim that the Prime Minister never spoke to Roberts or of her situation, even though the Opposition Leader did.
Television footage of the parliamentary incident showed the Prime Minister walking right pass a sobbing Roberts, who was flanked and being comforted by several colleague MPs. At the time, the Speaker of the House had granted a 15-minute recess of the sitting in light of the situation that occurred on the floor with MP Roberts.
Dr. Mitchell is also said to have visited Roberts and her family at their home on Thursday.
His action follows Monday’s remarks in which he urged all Grenadians “to follow the path which leads to peace and harmony, and development. If we do, our children and grandchildren will be proud of us. If we do not, we will condemn to lives of disharmony and misery. In the interest of people, may we all unite.’’