With the New National Party (NNP) staging its annual convention on Sunday, political pundits are predicting that this could be the last convention of the governing party before General Elections which are constitutionally due by March 2009.
Addressing the media earlier this week as part of the government's weekly press conference, Prime Minister and Political Leader of NNP, Dr. Keith Mitchell conceded that his government is in its final year since the last elections in November 2003.
"Clearly this is four years after the last General Elections and it means that the government is in the final year of its third term in office and, of course, is preparing for its fourth term in office, if the people so wish," he said.
In response to the issue of the leadership of NNP, Dr. Mitchell said he has no difficulty in being replaced as the political leader for someone else."The day the party feels that another person should take over leadership, I am extremely happy, if it is so wished by the party and by implication, the people to yield to an alternative person", he said.
"That is not an issue within my political organisation at all, absolutely not an issue," he added.
When asked by a GRENADA TODAY reporter if he is disturbed by the recent changes in governments within the region, Dr. Mitchell jokingly said, "I don't know if there is a David Thompson in Grenada who can accept the alternative situation here."
David Thompson was elected Prime Minister of Barbados last week following the General Elections in that country.
His Democratic Labour Party (DLP) won 20 of the 30 parliamentary seats, placing the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) of Owen Arthur in opposition.
Dr. Mitchell boldly stated that as far as the local political climate is at the moment, nothing has changed and that the NNP was supreme."Grenadians will vote based on who they perceive best to take the country forward," he remarked.
Last week, Prime Minister Mitchell told a gathering in rural Grenada that he would not give Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas "a shop" to run much less placing the country in the hands of the NDC leader.
The NNP enjoys a one-seat majority in the House of Representatives following the 2003 General Elections.
Dr. Mitchell also addressed a wide range of issues e among them the recent changes made at the leadership of the Board of Directors at the state-run National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
Former Accountant-General in the Ministry of Finance, Garvey Louison now heads the Board, having replaced David Lander, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Timothy Antoine, replacing his mother, Ursulla Antoine as the Deputy Chairperson on the Board.
Dr. Mitchell said that by the mere Act of Parliament, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance has to be the chairperson of the investment committee."It was on that basis that we decided that she (Ursulla Antoine) should be moved, and we felt it would not be fair to move one of our members and don't move the next so we decided to make a wholistic change of the two members," he told reporters.
NDC spokesman on Finance, Nazim Burke charged last week that Lander was axed over government's failure to get its hand on monies received from the sale of the Cinnamon Hill hotel property.
Another issue addressed by the Prime Minister was the growing rise in the cost of living which, according to Dr. Mitchell, his government has already taken steps to address.
During his budget speech last November, Dr. Mitchell announced a food basket distribution scheme to assist poor families.
He announced that systems are being put in place for that programme to start by the middle of February."The worse thing to do is to start a programme like this and you don't have the necessary structure and mechanism to make sure it is transparent and accountable," he said.
Dr. Mitchell indicated that his government was looking at putting additional price control officers out in the field to monitor prices in the various communities."We did some revamping, and we are looking at additional personnel ... to be able to deal with any question of overcharging out in the communities, in the shops and other places," he said.
According to Dr. Mitchell, coming out of the CARICOM Meeting held in Guyana last December to address the cost of living, the Heads agreed to set up a technical committee to look at how the Common External Tariff (CET) can be removed on certain items.
The removal of CET is seen as one area that can be used within the region to assist in lessening the cost of basic food items.
With regards to the planned re-implementation of the Value Added Tax (VAT), Dr. Mitchell who holds the portfolio of Minister of Finance was still not in a position to say when that particular tax will come on board.
While he recognised that the country cannot do without VAT, Dr Mitchell said its re-implementation involves a lot of preparation."We said we will be implementing it (VAT) this year, the question as whether which month is difficult for me to tell you, but it will be implemented," he said.
The issue of regional air transportation was also raised.
Prime Minister Mitchell reiterated the need for there to be an alternative to the lone regional air carrier, LIAT.
He said while it is in the region's interest to have "a responsible LIAT," he has a fundamental problem with monopolies.
Dr. Mitchell said that in addition to LIAT there must be an alternative.
He disclosed that he has already written "to a few parties," without giving names, and that discussions are currently taking place."Don't ask me further because I won't tell you the names because it would be compromising people who may not wish at this point to have their names mentioned," he said.
"My view is that LIAT needs to get its act together... live within its means, manage the operations better, provide better service and more efficient service to the region. If that happens, Grenada has no problem investing in LIAT," he added.
