St. George’s, August 29, 2012 – Sittings of the House of Representatives in Grenada are reported to have been suspended.
This is according to Grenadian journalist Hamlet Mark, who says that Prime Minister Tillman Thomas “has suspended the parliament and is now ruling by decree, without even really announcing it.’’
The suspension of parliament “is what has happened in the last 24 hours. Read through the codes,’’ Mark writes in an article commenting on Tuesday night’s radio and television address by the prime minister.
Thomas, in reacting to a motion of no-confidence filed against the government by his former Foreign Minister, Karl Hood, described it as “a blatant act of disobedience and dishonor,’’ as well “highly unpatriotic, reckless, self-serving and disrespectful of the people of Grenada.’’
Although filed by Hood, the NDC MP for St. George South East, the motion is “NNP mischief’’’ and it’s “planted shamelessly in the name of greed, money and power,’’ Thomas charged.
Hood is seeking a parliamentary debate on the motion in the 15-member House of Representatives.
If approved by a majority in the house, it could force a general election and possible defeat at the polls for Thomas’ National Democratic Congress administration that was elected to office in July 2008.
However, parliament is not likely to meet anytime soon, Mark says in a commentary on the internet news sit, CARIBUPDATE NEWS.
The Grenadian journalist claims that parliament has been suspended, “so that an executive dictatorship can be installed.’’
According to Mark, “the decision to run from the parliament and establish an executive dictatorship’’ is an attempt to “cheat people of their democracy.’’
He accused Prime Minister Thomas of orchestrating “an unannounced parliamentary coup,’’ on the advice of Finance Minister Nazim Burke and Information Minister, Glen Noel.
CARIBUPDATE NEWS recently quoted unnamed sources as saying that the Hood no-confidence motion appears to have the support of nine or 10 of the 15 members of the House of Representatives.
