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HOME	OCTOBER 29 th, 2005

After rejecting it as a “Communist scheme”, the Grenada government is embracing the concept of “free school books” for the nation’s school children.

The initiative was promoted by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of Tillman Thomas during the campaign for the 2003 general election. The ruling New National Party (NNP) of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell rejected it as something that cannot work and was the work of persons committed to the communist ideology.

In delivering the Throne speech on Monday, Governor-General Sir Daniel Williams told parliament that government will give consideration to the free school book scheme. He said that consideration will be given “to establishing a scheme that will provide free school books for targeted sections of the population”.

It was also announced that government will give consideration “to providing assistance to those students affected by high bus prices arising from the increase in the price of fuel”. The “free books scheme” is one of the measures which the Mitchell government hopes to introduce in order to reduce “the negative impacts high fuel prices and economic hardships are likely to bring on our people”.

In the past month, the price of gas and diesel at service stations on the island have jumped by over three dollars per gallon. Sir Daniel said in the speech that is written by government that the Mitchell administration will also give consideration “to increasing the contribution to old age pensioners as well as to increase the number of persons benefitting under this programme”.

Under criticisms from the opposition and interest groups for its lack of consultation, the government indicated that it would embark on a new rounds of talks with stakeholders. Sir Daniel told parliament: “My government will continue to promote and build social consensus on Grenada’s reconstruction and development. The Multi-Partite Consultation Committee will be strengthened to ensure that it plays its rightful role in the process of natinal development.

“Recognising the need to have all stakeholders and development partners working together in this new reconstruction period, my government will endeavour to arrive at a Memorandum of Understanding or consensus on critical development issues such as wages, employment and productivity among employers, unions and the private sector”, he said.

Sir Daniel went on: “...In order to expand social dialogue the Prime Minister and other Ministers have initiated a series of dialogues with all businesses small and large throughout the country parish by parish. “Their views have been sought on development and national issues and information was shared on initiatives in those areas. In the coming months, these discussions will be expanded to include dialogue it farmers, students, teachers, police, private sector workers and other sections of the community”, he added.

Private sector officials in the country have accused Prime Minister Mitchell of seeking meetings with small business leaders at the parish level as a means of trying to marginalise the island’s oldest private sector grouping, the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GCIC).

These officials claim that the Grenadian leader has been refusing to meet with the chamber due to differences with its current President, Nigel John.

The Chamber boss had called publicly for an investigation into allegations that Prime Minister Mitchell accepted a bribe of $US500, 000.00 in June 2000 from American-born fraudster Eric Resteiner in exchange for a diplomatic position with the Grenada government.