St. George’s, March 16, 2012 – When the 2012 budget debate ended on March 14, many Grenadians breathed a sigh of relief. There were fears that the budget was in danger of being defeated in a parliamentary vote, leading to the inevitable calling of a general election.

It was expected that the four opposition Members of Parliament were going to vote against the EC$1.023 budgetary package. And the opposition did.

Of the 11 MPs of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Michael Church of St. John resigned from government in 2010; and Joseph Gilbert, the parliamentary representative for St. Patrick West, was dismissed from cabinet by Prime Minister Tillman Thomas in January.

Of the remaining MPs, several have complained of what they allege are attacks on them from their own party members, as well as attempts to sideline them in the run up to the next general election. These MPs have included Karl Hood, Peter David and Sylvester Quarless.

But in the vote on Wednesday, Hood, David, Quarless and Gilbert voted in favour of the spending measures, thereby allowing the passage of the budget.

“Their vote was key to having the budget passed. They saved the day and avoided the government collapsing,’’ one political observer told reporters after Wednesday’s parliamentary sitting.

Four NDC MPs were absent during the vote on the budget. They were Roberts, Church, Sports Minister Patrick Simmons, and Housing and Lands Minister, Alleyne Walker.