GULP RECOGNISES ITS OWN  

Newly elected political leader of the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) Gloria Payne-Banfield presided over her first official ceremony Sunday, during the convention of the oldest political institution on the island.

Payne-Banfield along with newly elected Chairman Wilfred Hayes presented plaques and other items to thirteen long standing supporters for their contribution toward the GULP over the years. She told the crowd of over one thousand people that the awardees are being recognised because they are "old stalwarts of the GULP". The party, the oldest on the island and the region, was formed by former Prime Minister Sir. Eric Matthew Gairy.

Some of the recipients include persons who served in the administration of Sir. Eric in capacities as government ministers. The awardees include former Magistrate Lloyd St. Louis, Undertaker Albert Forsyth, outgoing political leader Hurbert Preudhomme and Queen's Counsel (QC) Derek Knight.

The list is completed by Vernon Edwards, Victor Sylvester, Cosmos Matthew, Elizabeth Roberts, Ursula Jones, Norman De Souza, Nita Williams and small business woman Waple Nedd. One of the awardees Q.C.  Knight endorsed Payne-Banfield as the political leader during a short address at the convention.

He spoke of always expressing the view that the time has come for Grenada to have a woman as Prime Minister and he encouraged supporters that they must keep his thought in mind with respect to the party's newly elected political leader. "Unite behind your political leader" Knight appealed to GULP faithful. He also offered his free advice to Payne-Banfield saying that the party has been out of power too long.

The QC stressed that in order to take back power this requires commitment and loyalty from each supporter calling themselves Gulpites. Another of the awardees Ursula Jones said that the party, under the leadership of Payne-Banfield is now more than ready to liberate Grenada. She spoke of the party being ready to explode like the "Montserrat Volcano" and that who ever stands in their way to victory, they must clear the way.

Jones called for full support for the newly elected political leader, saying that she is capable of delivering Grenada from its present hardship.