The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially presented former Minister for Education, Senator Hon. Franka Alexis Bernardine as its Caretaker in the Constituency of St George’s South East.
Accepting the position, Mrs Bernardine pledged to work with the community to achieve its priorities, giving the assurance that while infrastructural projects will be done, the focus of her efforts will be the development of the people.
The former Education Minister told an appreciative audience, one of the priorities of any NDC Administration of which she is a part, will be the return of the free school books programme, which was stopped after the party lost the 2013 general elections.
She paid tribute to the people of the constituency who she said found ways of uniting and working together and producing leaders including former revolutionary Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and the co-founder of the NDC, and noted Grenadian jurist, Dr Francis Alexis.
“You have given Grenada two prime ministers. So you have been a people used to having powerful representation and demonstrating stronger community skills and spirit than most villages and towns in Grenada. Let it be known that progress of this nature is always a struggle”, the first female to be presented by a party to represent the constituency said.
Mrs Bernardine also reflected on the work of the NDC government (2008–2013) which she said served during the worst global financial crisis.”
She decried the state of the nation’s health care, the failure of the current administration to ensure the construction of the Grenada campus of the University of the West Indies which was negotiated by the Tillman Thomas administration.
Franka Bernardine will oppose Communications and Works Minister Gregory Bowen whenever general elections are called. “I would like the opportunity to be the parliamentary representative of St George South East. I would like to bring about development changes that would empower the people to live better, more comfortable, more peacefully”, the Senator said.
Party Leader, former Finance Minister Senator Hon. V Nazim Burke congratulated Mrs Bernardine and says he looks forward to working with her and the constituency to get the party re-elected to office.
