PETER DAVID: DIVISIONS & FACTIONALISM OF PAST IS DEAD  

Grenadians have been reassured by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), that they need not worry about divisions and factionalism within the party since it is a thing of the past and it is dead.

This was one of the messages given to thousands of (NDC) supporters by the party's general secretary Attorney-at-law Peter David when he addressed the party's national convention held in St. Patrick's on Sunday.

"Another important feature of our party today is the unity among its leadership. Today the leadership of the (NDC) stands united, ready to take on the challenges of the future. The divisions and factionalism of the past is dead. Never before has the congress party been as united as it is ready to win the next general election and embark on the task of rebuilding our country".

David pointed-out that although many of the old leaders left the party following the last general election, in the last year many of them returned to the task of building the party. Both the old and new have been working together in a new kind of harmony, never seen before in the history of the party.

The party's national executive according to David is now composed of persons such as former Tourism Minister & Women Affairs Minister Joan Purcell, Kent Joseph a successful Grenadian businessman, Jerome Joseph, another stalwart and successful businessman and many other old stalwarts of the (NDC).

He also recognized the party's new members such as Nazim Burke, Ferron Lowe, Dr. David Lambert and the party's Deputy Political leader George Prime, an indication that both the old and new are working together to build Grenada.

According to the General Secretary another important feature of the united party is the leadership of Political leader Tillman,  under whom the (NDC), has become the alternative to the present regime. It is under his leadership that the party frought with division and conflict,has become a united party, ready for the challenges of the future.

"Today brother Tillman stands at the head of a united and strong (NDC), tomorrow (after the next election), Tillman will be the leader of a country ready to face the challenges of the 21st century", said David.

Moreover,  David said that in contrast to the governing party, the (NDC), is truly a democratic party and the team that makes up the present party's leadership is one of the best in Grenada's political parties history.

Party supporters were also told that the aim of the (NDC) is not to build a party that is capable of winning an election, neither is it the aim of the party to build an organization that can challenge the other parties or to form the country's next government, but instead the aim of the congress if to build a party capable of facing the future challenges.

"Another challenge in building the party is to ensure when the next government is formed those in government do not forget from where they derive their authority. You the members of the village groups, constituency women and youth groups, must ensure that the government truly represents the people who elect them and to do this we must build the party and ensure those we elect to its leadership are accountable to the party and to the people''.

David also lamented that too many times governments get into power and forget that it is from the people they get authority and politicians look in the mirror and conclude that they are powers onto themselves.

He said the congress must not be that type of party but instead it should remember that it is a peoples party and that they should ensure that when they form the next government, they do not loose their links with the people because the people are paramount in the party's politics.