Local News

PM is “soldier for Christ,’’ blasts NNP for power-grab

St. George’s, August 28, 2012 – Grenada’s prime minister has accused former Foreign Minister, Karl Hood, of colluding with the opposition New National Party (NNP) in possibly removing his government from office.

But Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has indicated that he would not be deterred and has no plans of calling snap elections.

“Government will not shirk its responsibility, nor would it be cheated out of its term in office,’’ Thomas told Grenadians in a national radio and television address Tuesday night.

“Our resolve is to respect our democracy and the Constitution of Grenada. We will maintain the course while keeping your best interests uppermost in our minds.’’

Hood, MP for St. George South East, wants the 15-member House of Representatives to vote on a motion of no-confidence against the government.

He filed the motion with the clerk of parliament last Friday. If passed, it could force an early poll and the likely defeat of Thomas’ National Democratic Congress (NDC), which was elected to office in July 2008 after winning 11 seats to the NNP’s four.

Hood’s filing of the motion has been severely criticized by some of his constituency members, who said they were shocked, dismayed and disappointed in the action of the NDC MP who resigned from government in May.

He remains a member of the party and sits on the backbenches of parliament, as are three other NDC MPs who have either resigned from government or have been fired by Thomas since 2010.

Thomas joined the criticism of Hood Tuesday, directly linking the former government minister to the NNP that failed to gain parliamentary support for a no-confidence motion that the opposition had debated in the House of Representatives in May.

In his 11-minute speech, the prime minister mentioned the NNP 17 times, with reminders of the party’s “corruption’’ and “patently reckless and irresponsible’’ borrowing when it formed the government from 1995 – 2008.

“I call upon every responsible citizen to think carefully and to act responsibly surrounding this latest NNP mischief. There is no reason for panic or anxiety,’’ Prime Minister Thomas assured.

“This latest motion is a blatant act of disobedience and dishonour; it is highly unpatriotic, reckless, self-serving and disrespectful of the people of Grenada,’’ said Thomas, adding that the motion, “for which the NNP must be fixed with constructive ownership, is planted shamelessly in the name of greed, money and power.’’

The Grenadian leader noted that “eight votes are needed for such a motion to be passed. The whole nation is therefore looking to see whether and who, in the parliament, would join with the NNP to assist them in accomplishing their goal.

The prime minister charged that Hood’s motion “is unmistakably inspired by the NNP. It is not only intended to deny Grenadians their joy and peace, but it is also motivated by spite and a determination to pre-empt any improvement in our economic and financial fortunes.’’

For Grenadians clamouring for jobs and more economic development, Prime Minister Thomas offered hope with the recent signing of a US$ 8.5 million grant from the People’s Republic of China; plans for the commencement of work to rebuild the National Athletic Stadium and the start of a farms’ road project; possible assistance to Grenada from Qatar; and the expected signing of a cooperation agreement with Trinidad and Tobago for joint development and exploitation of hydro-carbon resources.

Thomas also made direct appeals to the “youth of Grenada,’’ and sprinkled his speech with several references to God.

“As a people of faith,’’ he said, “we have to believe that God does not want us to revert to a culture of bad governance, social deficit and morally-challenged leadership. The source of our betterment is definitely not the NNP.’’

On Tuesday morning, in a speech to participants at a youth forum, the prime minister described himself “as a soldier for Christ, working in the political arena.’’

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