Opposition Member of Parliament for the Town of St. George, Peter David is $1,000.00 richer.

That payment to David arouse from the continued efforts in the law courts on the part of the Keith Mitchell-led New National Party (NNP) Government to dislodge him as the elected representative for the town seat.

David, an attorney-at-law and General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), defeated Communications and Works Minister, Senator Brenda Hood for the prized constituency in the 2003 General Elections.

At last week's Court of Appeal sitting in St. George's, Legal Advisor to Cabinet, Hugh Wildman informed the three-member panel of judges that government's application for leave to Her Majesty in Council is being withdrawn.

Wildman told Justices Barrow, Rawlins and Ola Mae Edwards "we wanted to get something going, we saw it as a futile exercise, hence the reason for withdrawal." David is being represented in this ongoing saga by defense lawyers, Ruggles Ferguson, Dr. Francis Alexis and Anselm Clouden.

Ferguson told the court it is the first time the defense team is hearing about the application from the controversial Jamaican-born Wildman to have the matter withdrawn, and therefore, requested cost in the sum of $7,500.

The appeal court judges denied that request but instead awarded cost in the sum of $1,000.00. Speaking to reporters about the case, Clouden pointed out that Wildman has been unsuccessful at every stage of the proceedings.

Clouden said in all the costs awarded to David in the ongoing efforts of the NNP regime to take-away the seat is now in excess of $20,000.00 and the Grenadian tax payers are the ones who are being saddled by these debts.

He described the move on the part of the Mitchell government to dislodge David as the elected Member of Parliament for the city seat as being frivolous and vexatious. "There is much more productive use to which these monies could be put than Mr. Wildman's escapade and quest to unseat the lawfully elected representative for the Town of St. George", he said.

"The country continues to hemorrhage, the government must now pay to Mr. David cost in excess of $20,000.00," he added. The Defense Attorney was confient of victory in the matter and boldly stated that David will continue to represent the Town of St. George until the next General Elections.

David who commented on this latest round of events said it is rather unfortunate that the government continues in its quest to unseat him. "I have said before that I am the representative for the Town of St. George and I know that there are other persons who would love to be the representative for the Town of St. George, but there is one place and one time that that would be determined, and that would be at the General Elections," he said. General Elections are constitutionally due in 2008.

David challenged Prime Minister Mitchell and his NNP to look at calling General Elections instantly if they really want to win back the Town seat. "If the Prime Minister wants the Town of St. George so badly, if the NNP wants the Town of St. George so badly... call the General Elections, call it now," he quipped.

The Senior NDC Parliamentarian disclosed that his party is right now equipped and fully prepared to deal with the government at the polls.

According to David, once the elections are called not only will the problem in the Town of St. George Constituency be solved, but  "we will solve the problem that this country faces," which is a government which continues to mismanage and take action that is  not in the best interest of the people.

"Do not put the people through the expense of the costs that are being awarded to me and my attorneys," he told the Mitchell government.