THE NDC AGENDA FOR GRENADA'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
               
THE CHALLENGE

The major challenge facing Grenadians is that of building Grenada into a dynamic, prosperous and stable democracy, capable of sustaining a high quality of life for all its people.

If we are to meet this challenge successfully, it is necessary, not only that we collectively agree on how this will be achieved, but that we put our hearts and hands together and work to make it happen.
Meeting this challenge requires Competent, Disciplined & Creative Team Leadership that is committed to:

* Safeguarding our National Pride, Integrity and Sovereignty.

* Respecting our democracy and democratic institutions.

* Uniting our people and building national consensus after adequate representation, open debate and democratic participation by all stakeholders.

* Pursuing a genuine and patriotic policy of inclusion of all Grenadians in the process of nation building, regardless of political affiliation.

* Maintaining the highest standards of integrity while in public office.

* Pursuing the practice of transparency and full accountability in all areas of governance, in all matters and at all times.

* Pursuing the fullest development of the human and material resource capabilities of our country.

* Pursuing excellence and developing a system of reward based on merit rather than relationship and association.

THE NDC PLAN

The NDC team has committed itself to transforming Grenada into a dynamic, prosperous and stable democracy, capable of sustaining a high quality of life for its entire people.

Moreover, after considerable reflection; careful analysis of local, regional and international realities; medium and long term trends; and ongoing consultations with the many stakeholders and social partners of our society, we have constructed in our minds' eyes the Grenada in which we wish to be living by the year 2020.

It is this programmatic platform and agenda that we refer to our as THE ALTERNATIVE.

We believe it is time to share that vision with the Grenadian people. Our party has always maintained that while it is useful, and even desirable, for opposition parties to expose the wrong-doings and criticise the conduct and policies of the government, that is not enough. More must be expected of Her Majesty's Opposition.

In addition to criticising, it must clearly set out, for the evaluation and scrutiny of the public at large, the alternative vision, policies and programs that it will seek to implement should it form the government following general elections. THE ALTERNATIVE seeks to do just that.

Furthermore, it is our firm belief that it would be both wrong and undesirable to withhold our vision, policies and programs from the people and try to sneak it upon them  a couple of weeks before the general election.

Such an approach smacks of "endorsement by ambush" and can only serve to undermine the trust and confidence between "the governors" and "the governed" - so necessary for effective governance through social partnership and consensus.

While the concern has been expressed by some of our members and supporters that the government will "steal our thunder" by implementing some of our policies and programs, we see no real or practical danger in this concern.

At the end of the day, what the NDC team wants is to see Grenada transformed into a dynamic, prosperous and stable democracy of which we are all proud to be a part. It truly matters not which political party makes this dream a reality.

Having said this, however, we remain unshakably convinced that given the record, character and modus operandi of the present NNP administration, it is capable of positively transforming neither itself nor our country.  The chronic and pathological deficiencies exhibited by this organisation over the past 12 years leave no doubt that a regime change is not only desirable but absolutely necessary.

For these reasons, we shall, each week from this week onward, present one aspect of our agenda for Grenada's sustainable development.  

Each presentation shall speak to both the challenges faced by our country in relation to the issue being addressed and our party's plan for dealing with the challenges identified.

Our alternative vision, policies and programs are comprehensive and far reaching, spanning, among other issues, the following:

* National Pride and National Unity

* Inclusion and National Reconciliation

* Integrity in Public Office

* Institutional Development

* Economic Development

* Agriculture

* Tourism

* Industrial Development

* Energy

* Offshore Financial Services

* Export  Services

* Health

* Human Resource Development

* Youth Development

* Social Development

* Physical Development and the Environment

* Housing

* Sports

* Culture

* Carriacou and Petite Martinique

* Regional Integration

* Foreign Relations

* National Security

Although in preparing this program, we have drawn very heavily on the knowledge, intellect, experience and skill of a large number of Grenadians, the development of THE ALTERNATIVE would only be complete when the widest cross section of Grenadians have been afforded the opportunity to scrutinise and evaluate its tenets and offer whatever comments, criticisms or suggestions they deem appropriate.

For it is only through such a process that Grenadians could rightfully take ownership of this programmatic platform and charge of their future.

Next issue, we present our perspectives on National Pride and National Unity.

(The above was submitted by the main opposition National Democratic Congress)