The "visible and well-known unpopularity'' of the governing New National Party just ahead of general elections is one of the reasons for the Keith Mitchell led government's "unlawful spying operation'' against the National Democratic Congress.
This was the charge made by the Leader of the Opposition,
Tillman Thomas, in response to a national broadcast made by Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell on the recent "Spying" incident involving a junior member of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
Officer Kelon Noel of the Special Branch unit was apprehended and handed over to the police force after he was caught on the night of February 26 by senior members of the party engaging in an act of espionage against a National Executive meeting of Congress on Lucas Street, St. George's.
Thomas who heads the Congress party claimed that the "unlawful act of espionage'' was also motivated by NNP's fear of loss of political power, which would "expose many who have acquired (and) amassed unquestionable wealth during the reign'' of the Mitchell administration.
"Therefore they must win at all cost,'' Thomas said in reference to the NNP. "They are bankrupt of ideas so they have to resort to spying on NDC meetings for strategy.''
In his national broadcast, Prime Minister Mitchell sought to label the country's opposition with the tags of "lawlessness'' and "disrespect.''
He said: "Some of our citizens aspiring for leadership are not being responsible enough in their behaviour one to another, and the landscape of indiscipline on which they operate becomes more porous every day.''
Dr. Mitchell charged that by their "irresponsible actions of provocation, disrespect for the laws and statutes of the land, allusions to phantom plots to justify their uncivil acts and outright threat to the peace and stability in the country, the opposition is "threatening to weaken the solid and fertile soil of progress on which we as a people have planted so much faith in our ability to craft a society defined by the values of honesty, trust, hard work, discipline, commitment to country and love for one another.''
Thomas dismissed Dr. Mitchell's attempt to distance himself from the police spying on the National Executive meeting of NDC in which a policeman alleged that he was beaten and held against his will.
According to the island's Opposition Leader, the NNP, desperate to know the campaign strategy and state of readiness of the NDC, could not care less whether that knowledge was acquired illegally or otherwise.
"They could not care less whether a young, innocent police officer is put on the line and the RGPF (Royal Grenada Police Force) is compromised in the process,'' Thomas said."One wonders in what other ways they might be prepared to use our young people for party political purposes'', he added.
Thomas said the NDC is not blaming Constable Kelon Noel for the incident in which he was caught secretly tape recording an executive meeting of the NDC."The NDC wishes to say to Officer Noel, his relatives and friends, that we see him as a young Police Officer wishing to serve his country,'' he remarked.
"Officer Noel is no common criminal. He is no spy. He was simply used by the authorities. So we urge the public not to view him in any such negative light. The NDC believes that every youth has value'', he said.
According to the NDC boss, there is evidence to believe that "there is a special political arm'' operating within the Police Force."It was created for a specific purpose,'' Thomas stressed. "The use to which this unit may be put will not be limited to counter-intelligence, intimidation, dirty inside jobs, planting of evidence, but may also extend to flagrant acts of violence against innocent people.''
Thomas said that among the questions he wants answered is which official of the NNP government, having the necessary political authority, requested or approved the police spying operation against him and his political party."Grenadians every where must resolve to rid our country of the NNP at the next general elections and thereby restore our privacy and preserve our freedom,'' he said.
"Grenada must always be a land where democracy comes after the Almighty'', he added.
The NDC is optimistic of capturing up to thirteen seats in the upcoming poll expected to be held sometime within the next eight months.
Dr. Mitchell's NNP holds a slender one-seat majority in the country's parliament.
