The Grenada Trades Union Council (GTUC) has just stopped short of calling on Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and his ruling New National Party (NNP) government to step down from office.

“The workers and people of Grenada have become fed up with this Government”, said the TUC in a statement issued in St. George’s on Monday.

“No one believes the Government any more and people have come to associate governance with lies and deception”, it added in the release which outlined the TUC’s opposition to the 5% tax on workers salaries from January.

The trade unions have vowed to engage in mass protest action from the beginning of next month if the Mitchell government goes ahead with plans to take the 5% from workers’ salary.

Following is an edited version of the press release issued by the TUC:

The GTUC recognizes the need for Government to raise money for our reconstruction but strongly believes that it ought not to come form the income of workers.

We believe that workers are already over burdened with debt and the high cost of living and any effort to take money from them would push them into abject poverty.

Prior to the TUC's Special convention, significant efforts were make to hold discussions through letters sent to the Ministers of Labour and Finance. Both letters were accompanied by the TUC's Position paper.

The TUC is conscious that monies are needed to reconstruct our country and therefore we have suggested a wide range of alternative of generating income.

Since the passage of Hurricane Ivan, workers of all levels have experienced severe economic hardship for example: refinancing mortgages compounded by the significant increase in the cost of living i.e. cooking gas moved from $30.80 to $40.05 milk, sugar, bread etc.

In the meantime, while workers are faced with these challenges the Government has not demonstrated any willingness to manage the affairs of the country in a more efficient and effective manner.

For example the line item (vote 340) continue to expand. Many people continued to be employed with significant salaries more than the established civil servant.

The international image of our country has been seriously comprised from our association with persons some of whom were appointed as Ambassadors and who are now awaiting trial on fraud, money laundering and criminal activities.

Since 1995, this Government has landed us several failed projects leaving our country in millions of dollars in debt and little or nothing to show for it - Levera project, Ritz Carlton project, the initial poultry project, the initial Beausejour housing project, financing of the Garden Group and the new facility for the National and Importing Board, both of which have suffered from bad administration.

Then there is the failed Call Centre, the National Stadium costing One hundred and fifty seven Million dollars which collapsed because of poor construction and which cost was significantly influenced by questionable payments which were never investigated by the Government.

Recall that the Government assured us at the point of construction of the Stadium that it will be of no cost to the Grenadian taxpayers.

Then there is the Value for Money study on the Ministry of Works and the serious revelations, the sale of the five hundred acres of prime lands of the Grenada Sugar factory for peanuts - income that brought in approximately 4 millions dollars.

The workers and people of Grenada have become fed up with this Government. No one believes the Government any more and people have come to associate governance with lies and deception.

It is for this reason we do very believe that there is a crisis in this country and the Government lacks the moral authority to impose any new taxes on the people.

We do not have the confidence that our sacrifices will be rewarded in future.