WEEK ENDING FEB 08, 2003   

FIVE NEW FACES ON EXECUTIVE OF NDC  

Two women were among the five who were elected to serve on the executive of the NDC following Sunday's convention at the River Sallee Government School. Marva Victor, wife of Teddy Victor is now the recording secretary and her assistant is Ms Sherry-Ann Williams.

These positions use to be held by Osbert Charles and Judy Bakka respectively. Charles is currently the candidate named by the party to contest the St. Andrew constituency while Bakka didn't stand for re-election.

The other executive members are: General Secretary Peter David; Assistant General Secretaries Kenny Fullerton and Chenny Joseph; PRO Nazim Burke; Deputy PRO Anne Peters; Treasurer David Lambert; Women's Liaison Officer Ingrid Rush and Assistant Women Liaison Officer Yvonne James - they were all re-elected unopposed. Shouts of "Don't Change them!" came from the more than 400 delegates and thousands of supporters when the names and positions for the executive were announced by former interim chairman Jerome Joseph who presided over the election.

One guest speaker at the convention was D K Duncan of Jamaica who called on the supporters to ensure that their names are on the voters list. "As this is the only way to ensure your right to participate genuinely in governance." The other speaker was Senator John Sampson of the 19th senatorial district, Brooklyn New York.

Speaking from a prepared text under the topic "Learning from the Caribbean Community in New York: A perspective for regional development" he said that the Caribbean community in New York is an important community which can be used by Grenadian right here at home. "I do understand that in these problematic times one needs creative ideas for the birth, growth, development and survival of us all.

These creative ideas can only be attained and implemented when the community unites as a whole. Even in hard economic times, as what were are now facing in New York and America, this expatriate community will continue to remit million of dollars to the Caribbean and send other material goods back home." He encouraged the supporters to develop academic and technological links, not only with this community, but with the Caribbean Diaspora.

In his address General Secretary Peter David said that since the last convention the party has embarked on a concerted campaign to build its links with the people at all levels of the society. "The message of the NDC has reached every nook and cranny of Grenada in the last year," he boasted. He warned the more than 3000 supporters that despite the achievements, many challenges lie ahead for the party.

"Our aim is not to simply build a party that is capable of winning an election. Our aim is not simply to build an organization that can challenge the other parties. Our aim is not only to form the next government of Grenada. Our aim is to build a party capable of facing the challenge of the future. A party rooted among the people and truly representative of the diverse views of this nation..." he said.

Mean while many party supporters are of the opinion that the party is ready to take the country forward in the best interest of all Grenadians. With the campaign trail heating-up the ruling New National Party (NNP) government has been appealing to the Grenadian people to give them another term in office.

However opposition forces and their supporters have been expressing disappointment with the way the Government is running the country and with that in mind they believe that a wind of change is blowing.