PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSTITION

St. George’s Grenada

9^th September 2009

Members of Her Majesty’s Opposition have expressed deep concern over the alleged decision taken by the thirteen-month-old Tillman Thomas administration to send the junior minister in The Prime Minister’s Ministry - with responsibility for Culture - Senator Arley Gill, to New York for the Labor Day festival, during these hard and economically challenging times, purportedly to market Grenada as a tourist destination.

The Opposition indicated that earlier on this year, Grenada’s carnival was launched in New York, ostensibly as part of a grand marking/promotional strategy and that the scarce financial resources that were used to send the minister flying first class to New York once again, could have been utilized more prudently and effectively to help alleviate some of the problems faced by the poor and vulnerable people in the country, many of whom are expected to equip their children with the necessary paraphernalia for school and survive the harsh everyday realities.

The opposition said that this is happening in light of the fact that the government has to seek assistance to pay public workers salaries and cut the take home pay of some workers in the country without even consulting with them.  They noted that police officers and road workers are already the victims of this action.  In spite of these harsh social and economic realities and the myriad of problems that the country currently faces, the opposition is concerned that Government Ministers continue to travel frequently and spend tax payers’ money recklessly and fail to be transparent and accountable with the resources of state.

The opposition feels that the government should have a social conscience and listen to the needs and the cries of the people, especially the poor and vulnerable, who are undergoing tremendous hardships at this time and should let “Accountability transparency and good governance” not only be spoken words but should be practice in the governance of the country.

OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION