Grenada operating well below capacity, says NDC leader at Toronto meeting

 

By Lincoln DePradine

Senator Nazim Burke

Nazim Burke, the man, who wants to replace Dr Keith Mitchell as Grenada’s prime minister, says the country is “operating well below its capacity.’’

And Burke blames the problem on Mitchell.

Burke, leader of Grenada’s main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), told Grenadians in Toronto that Grenada, under the rule of Mitchell and his New National Party (NNP), is beset by challenges such as “all-time’’ high unemployment and a rural economy that has “effectively collapsed.”

He also said that  “there are increasing signs of begging and poverty’’ in the Caribbean nation.

“The root cause of these problems is a lack of leadership in the country. And, frankly speaking, when we speak about leadership here, we have to put the blame squarely at the foot of Dr Keith Mitchell,’’ Burke said in an address at a meeting last Friday

“Grenada is underperforming because of this problem of leadership,’’ he added, saying “the situation is simply unacceptable.’’

Burke, a senator in the Grenada Upper House of Parliament, was finance minister in the NDC government that was elected to office in 2008. All members of the party, including Burke and then Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, lost their seats in general elections in February 2013. A year later, Burke was elected NDC leader, replacing Thomas who stepped down as party boss.

The next Grenada general elections are constitutionally due no later than the middle of  2018,

Burke said the NDC, which has developed a “clear vision’’ of what Grenada should be, has “put together a very capable, competent team’’ of candidates and is ready for the polls.

“Winning this election is important,’’ Burke admitted. “This particular visit to Toronto is of special significance to us because it is coming on the eve of what can well be, perhaps, the most important election in the history of our country.’’

According to Burke, the upcoming elections “will decide whether Grenada continues to go down the path of destruction, a path of inertia, a path of neglect in many areas; or, whether we’re going to turn around and begin to do something for the better.’’

Burke, who also was expected to visit Montreal and Ottawa last weekend, is the NDC’s candidate for the St George’s North East constituency, which he lost in the 2013 general election. He’s trying to retake the seat from the current Member of Parliament, NNP’s Tobias Clement, who is a first-time MP and lecturer at St George’s University.