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Ladies and Gentlemen, the holding of this Convention at this particular time and location and in the company of this particular audience brings back fond memories of the early days of the resurgence of our party, when we registered our return to the national political stage and sounded our commitment to rescue this country from those who hold it under negative political and economic siege.

It was right here at the St. Andrews Anglican Secondary School in January 2002, that we pledged to constantly and consistently expose the misdeeds of the NNP administration while disclosing to the nation our alternative vision and plans to build a better life for our people.

Brothers and sisters, it is crucial that we acknowledge and point out here today that the challenge mounted against this NNP regime was not only the work of our party. Indeed, it represented the combined and collective effort of thousands of patriotic Grenadians who shared the common conviction that they must act to save Grenada for their children and grand children.

Fellow Grenadians, as we stand here today, we stand at an important crossroad in the history of our country. Our individual and collective stances will determine whether our country continues to slide down this dangerous slope of economic ruin, failed dreams and increased hopelessness; or whether we arrest the decline and place our country on the path of economic, social and moral recovery.

Our country faces a crisis of confidence in those who run our affairs. The genesis of this crisis of confidence is to be found in this government's record of gross mismanagement of our economic affairs; the culture of nepotism, victimization, waste and corruption that they have cultivated; the shame and disgrace they have brought to our nation; the unwillingness to engage the social partners in an honest and meaningful way; and the pursuit of a culture of petty political spite against its political and journalistic opponents.

To recite the numerous manifestations of this crude, vulgar and embarrassing legacy at this moment would take up precious time and serve no useful purpose. What is important, presently, is to focus on the national effort that is required to put the magnitude of the tragedy brought upon us by Hurricane Ivan, and later by Hurricane Emily behind us as we rebuild our country.

This is an endeavour that every single Grenadian was prepared to embrace not only for love of country, but for the future of our children. However, meeting this challenge of national reconstruction required more than the goodwill and heartfelt commitment on the part of the public at large. It also required sound and effective leadership. To have achieved this national goal would have required building national consensus, developing clearly defined national objectives; creating unity of purpose and engendering a climate of mutual trust.

Such consensus, unity of purpose and trust would only have been achieved under mature, strong, courageous, visionary and selfless political guidance. Most notably, it required the members of the ruling administration to realize and acknowledge that if Grenada was to move forward, every patriot had to be recognized and accommodated and our people had to be made to feel that we were all in this together.

Failure to do so would only have reinforced the deep distrust that already existed between the government and the majority. Unfortunately, the NNP leadership was unable to meet this challenge. In the aftermath of the two hurricanes they continued their old ways, further undermining all prospects for the restoration of public confidence and the building of a social partnership-much to the detriment of our country.

Over the past 12 months in particular, this government has displayed a callous and criminal neglect of the needs, wishes and aspirations of our people while engaging in a wanton abuse of state resources.

Every policy expression, every project, every program undertaken by this administration appear to find its justification in the desperate and narrow objective of this moribund group to retain political power at all cost, in spite of, and at the expense of the people.

At the same time, all attempts by ordinary Grenadians to question or challenge the wisdom of these policies, programs and projects and to demand a say in the running of our affairs were met with accusations of unpatriotic behaviour, obsession with political power and even the pursuit of military ambition.

Convinced that they had lost the 2003 election because of poor Public Relations (PR) and the lack of support from the youth, they have resolved that every last penny that can be found, whether donated to Grenada, borrowed or otherwise acquired shall be dedicated to these two causes.

Within the past 12 months, they have therefore embarked upon what is undoubtedly the most vociferous, expensive and comprehensive propaganda campaign ever undertaken in this country outside of an election campaign. Within that time, they established a new television station, GISTV, which has for all intents and purposes replaced the discredited NPR as the principal propaganda mouthpiece of the New National Party.

This they have done while telling the public of a desperate shortage of funds and calling on the people to make sacrifices in the interest of nation building. They have appointed a Public Relations Officer for each and every ministry and department paying some of these persons as much as $ 5000.00 per month while most of our nation's teachers barely earn half of that amount for their valuable services.

They have brought in a media consultant from London, all expenses paid, to advise them on how to look good while doing nothing. Sisters and brothers, the fundamental objectives of this propaganda campaign are twofold. First, to try to convince the public that this administration is a caring, progressive and constructive administration.

Second, to make out the members of the Official opposition as a bunch of unpatriotic, disruptive and power- hungry thugs whose sole objective is to remove this government from office by any means necessary. This propaganda initiative is operated in tandem with a massive spending spree in the name of the youth, while trying to steal their innocent hearts and minds through Rap and Hip Hop competitions.

This devious strategy does not provide our young people with much needed sustainable jobs; education and training opportunities and facilities; career counselling, entrepreneurial guidance and support; counselling, life skills and social skills- which, we are unshakably convinced, must be afforded to them at this time.

To achieve these twin objectives, Sisters and Brothers, the administration has marshalled the support and engagement of a cadre of lackeys - many of questionable competence and integrity - exploiting them as a counterforce to the legitimate public service and paying them huge salaries way out of step with the remuneration of public servants.

This group includes special advisors, special assistants, special coordinators, phony ambassadors and other functionaries not recognized in our public service establishment. Furthermore, this administration has worked tirelessly at legitimizing this group by according them professional status and using line item 340 in each vote of our annual budget to cover to justify this outrage.

For this reason our annual expenditure on this category has climbed from $85,000.00 in 1995 to $ 7.0 million in 2004 to 16.8 million in 2006. In addition, they have approved humongous salaries for their friends at the so-called Agency for Reconstruction and Development (ARD) - an agency which, 16 months after the Hurricane is still unable to justify its existence.

In some cases salaries as high as $25,000 per month, plus perks and benefits are paid to some of these individuals who do little more than cris cross the globe using Grenadian diplomatic passports.

Moreover, at a time when government continue to claim that the country is cash strapped ministers of government, led by the Prime Minister also continue their globe trotting from continent to continent and country to country attending flimsy and frivolous activities that bring no tangible, material or other benefits to our country.

This has resulted in a massive and inexcusable waste of the scarce financial resources that could otherwise have been used to assist the poor and disadvantaged with housing, food, school supplies, basic medicines and transportation. Meanwhile, the critical business of state remains unattended and the burning issues and needs facing our people remain unaddressed.

Our country's name, integrity and stature continue to be dragged into disgrace while we are forced to bury our heads in shame. It is no secret that the NNP administration is viewed by many -at home and abroad - as corrupt and decadent.

Seventeen (17) months after a Commission of inquiry was launched into allegations of financial impropriety by the Prime Minister that body has held only six (6) days of public hearings.

Most of the critical witnesses have not been called to testify including Eric Resteiner, the man from whom the Prime Minister admitted receiving money; Timothy Bass, his security Chief who is alleged to have video-taped the incident; David Marchant, who is alleged to have interviewed the Prime Minister in relation to the alleged bribery scandal and who broke the story; and Jean -Marie Coutain, who is alleged to have the been the only other person in the room when the Prime Minister received monies from Resteiner.

Many of the documents material to the inquiry, including the crucial national address given by the Prime Minister to the nation on May 19th 2004, have not been introduced into evidence. Yet the inquiry has been adjourned indefinitely and there is no indication as to whether and when it shall resume. Indeed, there is good reason to believe that the life of the inquiry may have been deliberately stifled and we are not aware of any steps to revive it.

The objective for which the Inquiry was established is at risk of being derailed and the cloud of suspicion and doubt that hangs over the office of the Prime Minister shall continue to linger. If the integrity of the Office of Prime Minster of Grenada is to be restored and preserved, it is vital that a full, accurate and complete investigation be undertaken by an honest and impartial commission and its findings and recommendations be made public to the Grenadian people as quickly as possible.

To do otherwise would constitute an assault on democracy and the principles of good governance. We therefore call for the immediate, full and unconditional resumption of the Commission of Inquiry into the allegations of bribery against Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. Similarly, the duty to protect the constitutional right of all Grenadians entitled to vote and to be registered as an elector, has been unforgivably breached during the enumeration process undertaken in 2004-2005.

Of the estimated 68,000 expected to be registered only 50,744 were captured and a final list has been generated that is defective in several material respects. We view this defect as incomprehensible and unforgivable and urge the authorities to take all steps to ensure that eligible Grenadians are not disenfranchised.

We shall do whatever is necessary to ensure that the Constitution of our country is respected and obeyed. Whenever an election is called in this country, every eligible Grenadian must be guaranteed the freedom and security to help determine who shall govern this country.

Sisters and Brothers, we continue to witness a severe and systematic decline in the political, economic social and moral fibre of our society. Our most sacred institutions are under attack from those charged with guarding and preserving them.

Our national parliament, the very heart and symbol of our democracy has deteriorated to the extent that some elected officials use the sacred chambers of Parliament to launch crude, vulgar and unwarranted attacks against decent Grenadians and non- Grenadians who have made and continue to make a substantial contribution to the economic and social life of our country.

The behaviour of some of these elected officials during the last budget debate can only be described as appalling. With the full knowledge and complicity of the NNP leadership, our office of the Attorney General has been usurped by a legal refugee -who is despised by his peers both in his homeland and here in Grenada.

This is a man who is bent on provoking an unnecessary confrontation between the political forces in our country and evidently feels no sense of duty and loyalty to promoting Grenada's best interests. This individual, who neither knows nor understands our history or culture, continues to give bad and dangerous legal and political advice to the country's executive, at great expense to our taxpayers.

Our Director of Public Prosecution who has for over 10 years served this country with dignity and distinction is being threatened and intimidated for discharging his duties with fairness and impartiality and without favour for those who run the executive. The executive arm of the state is now posing a serious threat to the rule of law in Grenada.

Elected officials are viewed as individuals whose primary objective is to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor and disadvantaged in our society. Their primary aim is not service to country but to enter into secret financial deals for their own selfish gain.

While paying lip service to "national unity" this government has done all in its power to divide our people and to persecute its perceived political and journalistic opponents. The NNP administration has declared war on the trade unions of our country. Our teachers, who are the guides and guardians of our most precious resource, have been alienated and ostracized simply for seeking better wages and a better working environment for our children to learn.

Grenadian public servants have been driven to frustration, despair and professional indifference by the lack of leadership, lack of vision and arrogance of the several political cronies padding the ministries.

Our non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's), and their leaders, who so bravely and selflessly mobilized relief supplies and other material assistance for the most disadvantaged and worst affected in the aftermath of the two hurricanes, are being attacked and branded as anti- government agents.

The government's efforts at addressing the housing needs of the population in the aftermath of the hurricane can only be described as woefully inadequate. After spending over 55 million dollars of state funds, the authorities boast of having built 700 homes and assisted 2500 families.

Today, hundreds if not thousands of families, continue to live under tarpaulins and sleep in wet, unsafe and unhealthy conditions. It is no wonder that the Prime Minister was forced at his party's recent convention into tacitly admitting that there was widespread corruption taking place in the housing program of his government.

Our local businessmen and women have been consistently ignored despite the express declarations by the government that the Private sector is, and must continue to be the engine of economic growth. This Government's dismissive attitude is happening at a time when the private sector has suffered monumental losses from the passage of the hurricane, and in the face of calls for a better and more conducive business environment.

Government finances remain precariously weak, with mounting unpaid claims against the government, increased government borrowing from the commercial banks and a bludgeoning national debt of 1.7 billion. There is a breakdown in the social values in our society with an increase in drug consumption, violent crimes and the incidence of family breakdown and dysfunction.

Many of the weakest and most vulnerable among us, including the elderly, children and the physically and mentally challenged are being forgotten and ignored by those who manage our country.

But this policy of callous disregard has perhaps found its worst expression in the manner in which this government has responded to the rising cost of living. It is no secret that as a result of the Hurricane, thousands of our people suffered great losses, not only of their homes but also of their personal possessions.

The task of rebuilding their lives was made even more challenging, given the loss of their jobs and the drastic rise in the cost of basic items, including food, building material, and fuel products.

Despite the catastrophic losses suffered by our people during the hurricane, this Government found it fit to impose a 3 percent levy on the income of all workers earning over $1000.00 per month, thereby increasing their misery and lowering their standards of living. This has placed many of our workers and their families in an impossible situation.

Sisters and Brothers, as an alternative government in waiting, we need to address these issues which are affecting our people in a bold and confident way. Governance means more than the assumption of and exercise of power.

We must encourage national dialogue and debate on the critical issues facing our country. Our party must assume a leadership role in the national debate on how to diagnose our problems and come up with realistic and common sense solutions to them. It is in this context and for these reasons that, as we prepare to assume the role of governance in our country, we must currently place special emphasis and attention on the following six (6) areas:

* The politics of inclusion
* Good Governance
* Business reactivation
* Agriculture
* Human Resource Development; and
* Relations with the Diaspora.

While all six area areas are of medium and long term strategic importance we regard agriculture as the fulcrum of our development thrust.

It is for this reason that we have chosen as the theme for this years Convention: Agricultural Development for Employment Creation

Sisters and brothers, it is no secret that Agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy during our lifetime. Not only our grand parents and our parents depended on it for their livelihood, but we ourselves, as we were growing up directly benefitted from agriculture through the food, shelter, clothing and education that it provided.

The possibility exists, not only to revitalize some of our traditional crops with the strategic objective of agro-processing, but also to explore and pursue the cultivation of many new and alternative crops with great market potential.

Such an undertaking has the potential to generate greater output, income and sustainable employment, as well as to enhance our country's food security. No doubt, the successful pursuit of commercial agriculture in Grenada poses many daunting challenges.

The issues of finance; management; plant material and other material inputs; labour supply; remuneration and other incentives; education and training; production and harvesting techniques; production costs; praedial larceny; marketing and distribution must all be addressed in a comprehensive and holistic manner. This can only be achieved within the framework of a national plan for agriculture.

Brothers and Sisters, while it is true that our agriculture began to experience some decline before 1995, there can be no doubt that the NNP administration has presided over the complete paralysis of our agriculture over the past ten (10 ) years. Despite having two Ministers of Agriculture, both receiving fat salaries, this administration was not even been able to present the country with a National plan for the development of Agriculture.

In the past 3 - 5 years, two key posts in the Ministry of Agriculture have been left vacant. Review for your self the last 3 annual estimates of revenue and expenditure. In the section titled 'vacant positions in the permanent establishment', you will see that the post of Research Officer and the post of Marketing Officer remain vacant year after year.

Like everything else, the NNP plays politics with every facet of the country's development. The NNP is waiting for the right NNPite to be installed in these critical posts. Sisters and brothers, we are forced to pose the questions: how on earth can the crucial functions of research and marketing be repeatedly ignored while the NNP claims that Agriculture is a priority? Priority for whom?

The total lack of commitment to the agricultural sector can be seen in the NNP's loan guarantee record over the last few years.
Based on the NNP's own information which it has published in the annex to its budget speeches, a combined total of 17 loan guarantees were given by the NNP to statutory bodies and private companies.

These included loans of:

* $15 million to Gravel and Concrete
* $24 million to Housing Authority
* $24 million to GDB,
* $41 million to Airports Authority
* $65 million to Ports Authority
* $24 million to the Garden Group
* $20 million to Intercontinental Grenada Ltd
* $29 million to Grenada Development company

It is worth noting, Sisters and Brothers, that while many of these projects for which the loans were guaranteed were linked to tourism, all of them flopped with the exception of the Port Authority loan. Needless to say, these failures occurred at great financial loss to the people of Grenada.

In contrast to the aforementioned amounts, the guarantees that were committed to agriculture related projects were as follows:

* $67,000 to Minor Spices
* $3 million to the River Antoine organic banana project
* $5 mil to GCNA and
* $ 13 mil to Marketing Board.

In other words, Sisters and Brothers, the NNP is neither prepared nor committed to devising any major or serious program in agriculture which can attract large scale investment. Not surprisingly, the monies invested in the Marketing Board was lost in a get rich quick scheme. Even the Minister of Finance was forced to admit that he warned against the Marketing Board project.

Admittedly, in the aftermath of the hurricane, some $14 million was spent in the name of resuscitating our country's agriculture. However, it is now widely known and accepted, even by the ruling administration itself, that these funds were the subject of corrupt practices.

Large amounts ended up in the pockets of persons who had no relationship to farming and agriculture. The full scale investigation into these corrupt practices promised by this Government in February 2005 is still anxiously awaited by everyone.

NDC VISION FOR AGRICULTURE

Sisters and Brothers, this 2006 convention is an important one for our party. It is important because we are focusing on a subject and sector of immense importance for our future. This sector carries with it the potential for direct and sustainable employment generation, poverty reduction, cross-sectoral linkages, positive externalities and national development for Grenada.

Agriculture is probably the only sector or industry that has critical linkages to every other sector or industry in the national economy. We know too, that the agricultural industry touches more lives and has greater implications for more families and communities than any other sector in the Grenadian economy.

With regard to the link between Agriculture and Education, Agriculture is the cornerstone on which an educated, enlightened, conscious and strong nation can be built. Give your child a fruit or portion of cereal for break rather than corn curls and soft drink.

Furthermore, we must hold serious national dialogue aimed at reviewing our curriculum with respect to Agriculture. Our courses must bring into sharp focus the cost of efficient and competitive agricultural production, the range of secondary and tertiary products which can be derived from primary products, the modern methods, equipment, technologies and processes associated with various forms of agricultural production.

Our educational institutions should pursue serious research and development programs as part of a new thrust in agriculture. The linkages between Agriculture and Sport are just as critical and essential. Synthetic and chemical substances destroy and often disgrace athletes, causing embarrassment to their families and countries.

The Grenada Food and Nutrition Council can prepare recipes for our sportsmen and women that are superior to the imported products and will not expose them to any potential harm. In this context therefore, we propose to reposition the agriculture and agro industrial sectors as the pivotal sectors of the national economy. This will be achieved through, among other things, the following plan of action:

* The development of a national plan for agriculture;

* Direct investment in productive infrastructure including the construction of at least one major agro processing plant in St. Andrews during the first three years in office.

* The serious development of Organic farming and exotic farming as special niche economic activities.

* The creation of Centers of Agricultural Excellence, with at least one in each parish, to showcase model agricultural farms and/ or production unit. These can serve as prototypes for farmers, and at the same time, become special tourist attractions to be visited by tourists at a cost.

* Rearrangement and strengthening of the legal, regulatory and institutional, and occupational environment for the operation of agricultural and agro-industrial sectors.

* The introduction of a suitable incentive structure for entrepreneurs.

* Enhanced education on production and harvesting techniques.

* The introduction of new economic crops, harvesting and production techniques.

* Enhanced yields and crop recovery safeguards. In particular, a considerable strengthening of the safeguards against praedial larceny including a program of subsidization of farmers for the establishment of self protection measures.

* The processing of our agricultural produce into a wide range of processed items including processed foods, cosmetics, toiletry, medicinal, chemical and industrial inputs, processes and products; and;

* Vigorous marketing support to these industries. This would include the development of a nationwide integrated marketing network linking farmers to hotels, supermarkets and marketing boards by nationwide computer network.Within the next 2 months, we shall host a national Conference on Agriculture at which all of the nation's farmers shall be invited to discuss the state of agriculture in our country. It is expected that at that conference all of the critical issues will be examined and a plan of action for the resuscitation of our agriculture will be devised.

The decision to host this conference reflects our deep sense of conviction that, no matter how many and how brilliant our ideas may be, little will be accomplished if we do not, first of all, organise and adequately prepare ourselves to lead and second, seek and obtain the direct input and participation of those we represent. As we depart from this Convention today, we must do so with renewed energy, commitment and determination to lead our country following the next general elections.

To achieve this objective, we must ensure that our constituency groups and working committees are properly constituted and functioning; that our activists continue to work in a diligent and structured way; and that we actively seek to recruit growing numbers of Grenadians into our ranks.

CONCLUSION

Let me end by reminding us all that the NDC is the most democratic political institution in this country. In this family, every single individual has a right to an opinion. All views must be respected, even if they are not ultimately accepted. Not accepting an opinion will never be interpreted as not accepting the individual who holds the opinion.

No one will ever go away feeling that they have been rejected in any way or marginalized for having a difference of opinion. The NDC's motto was very deliberately and consciously chosen and must forever resound in our hearts: Let our people's voices be heard. We must therefore continue our struggle to build a Grenada in which the voice of every Grenadian will be heard, regardless of the issue, without fear, intimidation or reprisal. Let us move forward as one unified force to reclaim our country from those who hold it under siege.