The next 45-50 days could be very crucial for the peace and stability in the country.

And the ball is in the court of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and the ruling New National Party (NNP) government to be very careful in handling that ball because it could become too hot for them to handle.

GRENADA TODAY is warning government to tread with caution on the 5% income tax or Reconstruction Levy that it intends to implement on the salary of workers in January and the threat from Speaker of the House, Lawrence Joseph to consider suspension of opposition members over the citizenship issue.

It is clear to us that the two issues if not handled properly can result in the downfall of the Mitchell government before its five-year term expires sometime in 2008.

There is an undercurrent taking place in the country on the 5% tax and the trade unions and their members are gearing up for a fight in the New Year.

And it will not be an easy fight in this country that is so badly divided politically. One side is bound to lose and come out badly wounded - perhaps more dead than alive.

The workers and their representatives have been sending clear signals to the government about the need for dialogue and more discussion on the 5% issue.

However, it appears that the government is bent on having its own way and not heeding the request of the Grenada Trade Union Council (GTUC) to meet with them to look at alternatives to the tax.

We sensed that union officials used the meeting which its members held last week as part of Civil Society with a high powered delegation from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) to put the group on notice about possible instability in the country in the very near future.

The message was clear and put into perspective by trade unionist Stanley Roberts that Dr. Mitchell was not listening to anybody and if he was listening at all, it was probably only to himself.

This description so aptly fits the person currently sitting in the important chair in the Office of the Prime Minister. It is a long time now that Dr. Mitchell has not been listening to anybody and bent on doing his own thing.

This newspaper senses that workers in the country are not opposed to making a financial contribution to rebuilding our hurricane-devastated island but very concerned about placing money into the hands of Mitchell and his NNP outfit given their dismal financial track record.

This administration wasted taxpayer's money in the past ten years as if the island had oil money like Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya and others who depend on the petroleum sector for their economic and financial livelihood.

There is danger looming before our very eyes and this 5% tax could get out of hand at the same time as the House Speaker might be inclined to suspend from Parliament those seven elected members of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the citizenship issue.

Our early warning to the Speaker is to think and think hard and real hard before walking that dangerous and uncertain road.

The parliament is no longer under the control of NNP like it did after the 1999 general elections when it swept the polls and captured all fifteen seats. The Congress party has seven seats in parliament and is a major force to be reckoned with in the body politics of the country.

It has a massive following and its members might not be in a position to hold back the supporters from taking whatever action they might deem necessary and appropriate if they feel that their elected representatives are being victimised in Parliament by a Speaker who was opposed from sitting in the chair from the onset due to his NNP credentials.

Our position on the citizenship issue is rather simple - take the matter to the courts for determination as provided for in the constitution.

The Parliament is in no position to determine a dispute on a most fundamental constitutional issue. The NDC and their support base hold strongly to the view that the attack on Peter David is aimed at trying to hand over the seat to the defeated Brenda Hood and get her into parliament through the back door.

If the situation gets out of hand and the country is plunged into anarchy in the New Year the blame should be placed fully and squarely at the doors and footsteps of the NNP and its leader.

We have said it before that given all the events that have taken place in this country since the passage of Hurricane Ivan, the most sensible thing for any government that is committed to the democratic process is to go back to the people to get a mandate to govern.