There is a crisis brewing in Grenada’s Parliamentary Elections Office, brought about by last week’s firing of at least seven (7) of the 15 Constituency Returning Officers and last Friday’s resignation of the deputy Supervisor of Elections, Mrs. Ada Holder, in protest, to the firings.
“This situation is unprecedented, particularly in an election year,” reads a statement being circulated by the main opposition party in Grenada, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The statement further indicates that, “The NDC sees this as a vulgar attempt to rig the election process and ultimately steal the election, bearing in mind NNP’s defeat in the Referendum and the results of the recently conducted Polls which showed that the NNP party is loosing grounds rapidly.”
In response to this unprecedented, blatant act, which re-configurates the staffing of the Parliamentary Elections Office and possibly allows for the engineering and suppression of operations and results of the upcoming election, the NDC has organised a march to picket the Parliamentary Elections office at Tanteen, St . George’s, on Wednesday, February, 22 nd. The march will begin at 11:30 AM from Kirani James Boulevard near to the Alleyne Francique Roundabout.
This is “one of the measures to push back against the NNP and draw public attention to the situation,” states the same NDC release referenced above. “We need every patriotic Grenadian to come out in support of the march and show their support for an independent elections office, free of political interference,” the statement further reads.
The statement concludes with the words, “For love of Country, share this as far and wide as possible and stand in defense of democracy. RESIST NOW.”
It is the view of some political pundits that this NDC-planned demonstration, set for today, is a necessary move, while others are saying that much more must be done. “This and other similar demonstrations are necessary. Parliamentary proceedings should also be boycott,” proposed one activist.
“I am proposing that a protest letter requesting the intervention of the Head of our State, Queen Elizabeth, should also be done. Let the Queen know that the integrity of the parliamentary system in Grenada, and the structures to ensure free and fair elections are being very likely abrogated and undermined by the latest blatant acts of possible interference by the Prime Minister through the Governor General (the Queen’s Representative),” says the activist.
Under the existing Constitution of Grenada, the Governor General, who is appointed on the advise of the Prime Minister, may in his or her own deliberate judgment appoint and terminate appointments, here, Returning Officers in the Parliamentary Elections Office. The letters which terminated these employees, were each reportedly signed by the Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Cecile La Grenade. The attached flyer, is one circulated by the NDC in Grenada, regarding the planned protest.
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