St. George’s, April 27, 2012 – The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is at a crucial juncture. Senior and Long Standing members of the NDC, after much soul searching and consultation among ourselves, and with scores of other members and supporters of the Party, have decided to issue this release.
The objective of this release is for stating the facts and burying the propaganda and divisive vitriol that have been promulgated in the public domain over the last several months. A second but equally important objective is to put an end to this internal hemorrhaging. The bloodletting must stop. And, the NDC as a political party, must learn from this experience and come out better equipped to run the affairs of the country.
Our Party, the NDC, holds the reins of power in Grenada. The affairs of the country are managed by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers. Like any organization, there is going to be different points of view and opinions on any given issue. Honest debate, inclusiveness of differing views, and consensus building, are just some of the hallmarks that make for a productive Cabinet – in the end making decisions that benefit the country. Yes, at times, there have been divergent positions on critical issues that have come before the Cabinet; and, unfortunately, a few individuals who are not even members of the Party, have used this to create mischief and promote division among colleagues who have a long history of working harmoniously.
What are the facts? The Cabinet members and others who have not seen eye to eye with the Prime Minister on some issues have been labeled as a “gang” whose aim is to unseat the PM – this is a falsehood. No one is challenging Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas for leadership. The issue is the way he treats and labels those with viewpoints other than his. There is no ideological gap within the NDC. One cannot deny that the emergence of the Party as a strong political organization is representative of persons who, from a historical perspective, have come from different sides of the political spectrum. This has never been an issue; and the detractors who are making references to “Leftists’’, resurrecting labels associated with the turbulent period of our history, are bent on destroying the NDC.
Clearly, we recognize that polarization has set in and while the Party is functioning according to the democratic norms enshrined in its constitution, there are others in the Party who are on a divergent course. This is not a secret as it is played out regularly in the media and in public utterances by our own Political Leader. The public’s perception of division within the Government and within the NDC cannot be denied.
We give every assurance that as Senior, Long Standing and committed members of the Party we are working hard to find a solution. It may mean the emergence of an NDC that may have to shed some individuals who refuse to abide by the democratic principles which govern the way we carry out the business of the Party. Rest assured it will be a stronger NDC that emerges from this experience.
We will endeavour to provide updates as the situation warrants.
Collin La Barrie
On behalf of Group of Senior & Long Standing NDC Members
