Editorial
Last weekend's political incident at La Mode in St. Patrick's underscores the need for a code of conduct to be put in place immediately for the proper conduct of politicians participating in the upcoming general elections.
The country is already in election mode despite of the fact that Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has not announced the date for the poll.
Both the ruling New National Party (NNP) and the main opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC) are into heavy campaigning throughout the country with their eyes on the prize - the seat of government in St. George's.
The politics on the island is very polarized as the leadership of both parties are not prepared to yield a square inch of political turf to the other.
Dr. Mitchell has built up a reputation as being one with a deep hatred for political opponents and bent on conquering all and sundry before him.
Likewise, the main players in Congress will not be easy push-overs and are prepared, motivated and committed to battle him to the bitter end in order to take away his power and leave him naked and stranded in the political wilderness.
GRENADA TODAY believe that Economic Development Minister, Anthony Boatswain was rather insensitive in stopping in close proximity to the NDC gathering at La Mode and engaging in crossfire with its members.
There is an unwritten rule in politics that candidates send operatives into meetings of their opponents to hear what their messages and then report back to them to make appropriate responses at their own meeting.
Late Prime Minister, Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was best qualified to teach us a thing or two on the consequences that could flow if a candidate was to break up the political meeting of an opponent.
Sir Eric was in fact disenfranchised from taking part in an election after he led a steelband through the meeting of his opponent at Belmont in St. George's.
He was legally prevented from standing in the election and had to wait for the ban on him to be lifted in order to get back into Parliament through a by election for the seat.
The incident involving Mr. Boatswain and the NDC at La Mode does not warrant any such drastic action.
However, the Civil society groups in the country need to get into action swiftly and help draft a code of conduct for all politicians and political parties to adhere to leading up to and during the active part of Campaign 2008.
GRENADA TODAY have every reason to suspect that the upcoming poll would be the most vicious, bitter and brutal to be contested in electoral politics in the tri-island State of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
The main combatants - NNP and NDC - have too much at stake to lose but moreso the ruling party.
A defeat for Prime Minister Mitchell could herald the start of serious legal consequences for him for years to come not only in Grenada but in the United States and maybe elsewhere.
There is enough evidence around to bring charges of misbehaviour in public office against Dr. Mitchell in particular and perhaps one other member of the Cabinet to a lesser extent.
The Prime Minister's entire political career which started as far back as the 1972 general election is now on the line.
Right now, there are several persons in the U.S watching closely at the unfolding of events in Grenada in order to seek justice for wrongs committed against them by persons who were allowed to enter Grenada to do business by the Mitchell regime and in the end ripped them off - left, right and centre.
The Code of Conduct is needed right now - not tomorrow morning - for fear of violence erupting in the near future between the warriors of NNP and Congress.
The NDC appears ready for the poll whether in June, July, September or anytime next year. It is also clearly confident of victory whenever the bells rings.
Our sense is that the people are right now ready for elections and only waiting on the Prime Minister to announce the date for the poll and the dissolution of Parliament.
Dr. Mitchell is such a thin-skinned person that if anyone comes close to the date he has in mind, he sets another date just to try and prove them wrong.
However that magical date continues to be a guessing game but the need for the Code of Conduct should not be an issue for any debate.
The Civil Society group and the other stakeholders need to meet as a matter of grave urgency and set the parameters for all politicians to conduct themselves in their hope of wining over the electorate.
NNP, NDC and the others who might be inclined to field candidates like GULP and PLM should sign onto the Code of Conduct to help lessen the tension that is likely to explode in Campaign 2008.
