Former PM Blaize

Former Vincentian Prime Minister, Sir James Mitchell has publicly admitted that the Herbert Blaize-led government that came to power in the aftermath of the collapse of the 1979-83 Grenada Revolution was doomed to failure from the onset.

In his recently published book, "Beyond The Islands", Sir James pointed a finger at late Prime Minister Blaize for taking action immediately after the outcome of the December 1984 election for hastening the demise of his New National Party (NNP) administration.

The Vincentian leader along with fellow Prime Ministers, Sir John Compton of St. Lucia, the late Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica and Tom Adams of Barbados were the architects of the formation of the new political party in Grenada.

The NNP was a merger of three centrists groups - the Grenada National Party (GNP) of Blaize, the Grenada Democratic Movement (GDM) of Dr. Francis Alexis, and the National Democratic Party (NDP) of George Brizan.

Backed by Washington, which sent troops into Grenada to restore order following the October 19, 1983 bloody executions of leftist  Prime Minister Maurce Bishop and several Cabinet colleagues, the NNP was hurriedly put together to prevent the flamboyant Sir Eric Matthew Gairy from returning to power with his Grenada United Labour Party (GULP).

Sir James and his colleague Prime Ministers from the Eastern Caribbean summoned the leaders of the three moderate groups along with Winston Whyte, head of the small Christian Democratic Labour Party (CDLP) to meet on Union Island in mid-1984 to hatch the new party.

 

James Mitchell

Whyte opted out of the coalition within days after failing to agree with the number of places allocated to his party for the upcoming poll. In his book, Sir James pointed to the decision taken by the ageing and ailing Blaize to hold onto most of the key portfolios and leaving out the main players as key for the demise of his administration.

The ex-Vincentian leader stated that as soon as the results of the elections were announced he journeyed from Union Island over to Carriacou to meet with Blaize to help him put together the new administration.

 He said: "After Blaize had dispensed some US cash to his party supporters (in Carriacou) , we settled down to some fried eggs and discussions on formation of the post-revolutionary Grenada government.

"I could not believe my eyes when Blaize began to write out the portfolios he was keeping for himself, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Security, Trade and Leadership of Parliament. "I told him he was crazy. I was the boss of my party (National Democratic Party). I created my party out of the wilderness. He was Chairman of a hurried coalition. He was old. He had to give the young people elected around him some work to do or there would be trouble. He refused to change.

"The effort I had put in to create his success was totally ignored. He was a Prime Minister now. In Blaize's mind there was not the slightest scintilla of respect for the source of his authority.   "Right away, and even before he took the boat to Grenada, I knew his Government would fall apart. In despair I rang John Compton who was attending the Miami Conference on the Caribbean.

"All is lost," I told him. He called Grenada, to no avail. We went to the opening of their Parliament for a few hours. I could not face with any ease the honourable men (George Brizan and Dr. Francuis Alexis) whom I had persuaded to join this unworkable alliance", added Sir James.

Within three years of taking office, the NNP lost the services of Brizan and Alexis who citing differences with Baize on economic and labour policies left the government to form their own National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In 1989, the final nail was driven in Blaize's political coffin when his one-time close ally, Public Utilities Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell challenged him for the Political Leadership of the party and won a closely contested election at a convention held in St. Andrew's. Blaize sacked Mitchell from the Cabinet and soon formed The National Party (TNP) with the likes of late External Affairs Minister, Ben Jones, and Education Minister George Mc Guire and presided over a minority government until his death in December 1989.

Mitchell held onto the NNP and managed to win only two seats in the 1990 poll but five years later captured the government with a one-seat majority, before enjoying a clean 15-0 sweeps at the polls in 1999 and then back down to a slim 8-7 majority in Parliament in the 2003 general elections.

Prime Minister Mitchell is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office in general elections that are constitutionally due in 2008.