by Donella Hosten
As the New National Party (NNP) celebrated 4 years of being in office on Sunday 19, February 2017, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) clamped down on the Government’s highlighted achievements for the duration.
In the NDC weekly Press Conference, Chairman Vincent Roberts shared his Party’s concerns about the NNP’s accomplishments were featured in a documentary used to “promote the NNP.”
Roberts spoke of persons gloating about receiving pipe-borne water, and not having to walk in muddy tracks to get home, thanks to the NNP administration. However, he believes that this is “disgraceful and shameful,” and shouldn’t be highlighted as the administration’s main achievement. “It bothers me that a party who has been in office for 17 of the past 21 years, continues to focus on building roads as their main achievement, and not building people,” Roberts added, because Grenada still has a high level of poverty. “Nothing significant has been done.” The Chairman questioned what has been done to improve the health and education of the people in order to take them out of poverty.
Roberts and his Party insist that no sustainable projects were put in place to help the country. “It is road, concrete, and not even proper infrastructure.” He went on to make mention of a number of areas where flooding occurs and stench emanates after rainfall, including the Town of St George, Grenville, and Grand Anse. “The national infrastructure is in a deplorable condition.”
According to the Chairman, Grenada’s unemployment rate among youth “continues to be the highest in the Caribbean,” and the Caribbean has the highest rate in the world. Therefore, “one can reasonably assume that Grenada is the highest in the world.”
Additionally, Roberts stated that “4 years of NDC in office could not reverse the damage done by the previous 13 years of the NNP.” Had the NNP addressed it adequately, the NDC would have maintained the level that was set by them.
