Thursday, July 12, 2012
Hon. Tillman Thomas
Prime Minister
Grenada Carriacou and Petite Martinique
Botanical Gardens
St George
Grenada
Dear Uncle Tilly,
Let me congratulate you on the achievement of remaining in office these past four years. I know it has been an uphill battle and during this period we have lost many soldiers. It is sad that as I look at the front page of the manifesto, I see brothers Michael Church, Brother Karl Hood, Brother Peter David and Brother Joseph Gilbert are no longer with us. In these hard economic times, it is good that these members have grown and have found it necessary to fend for themselves, so they have left us in search of betterment. I am happy as it now means that we have more to share among those that remain, and the constant nagging questions of Peter David, you no longer have to entertain.
I was away and could not attend the two events last Sunday, but I was told that you had a good turnout, while the others suffered. I was further informed that you indicated that 75% of the 2008 manifesto was achieved, so I decided to take a look for myself to see how successful we have been in the last four years.
On page 3 of the manifesto, I see where in your speech, you say, “I have also introduced a style of leadership that allows leaders in their own right to grow and develop, while at the same time putting a brake on the tendency towards an authoritarian rule”. Uncle, ah lie dat. If so why did you kick out all the people from the party?
Uncle, I don’t want to be disrespectful, but on page 4, you said “the real catalyst is the people. A people who are hurting from injustice, who are suffering because they believe that obstacles are willfully placed in their way to progress” Uncle are true ting dat, many people see you as the obstacle.
Uncle, on the page 5 you say “the escalating cost of living is currently one of the most worrying and debilitating issues confronting Grenadians” ; but, Uncle, we expected you to make it better, you turn around and introduced 15% VAT. Ah wicked, you wicked, Uncle. Uncle, you say you go provide support to importers to find cheaper imports, initiate assistance to farmers but, Uncle, you close down G-REP and you bring MAREP and note one farmer see anything yet, MARWET yet to deliver, Uncle.
Uncle, ah shame, on page 6 you say decent affordable housing is essential for normal family life, you say you go reactivate and expand the activities of the national housing authority by providing it with the necessary financial support, financial and technical, identify suitable land in every parish for the establishment of housing, solve the housing problems for at least 150 citizens per year. Uncle, so far 600 people supposed to have their housing problem solve, Uncle, I want you to name 20 people who benefit. Uncle, I crying.
Uncle you promise we upgrade the Ministry of Family affairs, provide child services such as nurseries, after school play groups, and community projects to help poor families raise children, Uncle, you also promise mommy you go put a system in place to collect maintenance money from daddy that never there, Uncle, up to now, four years later mommy still cannot get a cent from daddy and he still making more children outside.
Uncle, I must say, Senator Frank Bernadine is a good lady and she doing her best in the education area, I spoke to my stepfather Dr Keith Mitchell and I told him when he wins the election, (sorry, Uncle, ah know you don’t like to hear that name but) to give her a job. But, Uncle, what happen to strengthening the primary school system, introduce social skills a foreign language and health and family life education from the primary school level? Uncle Tilly, people saying bad things about you. They say you promise you will provide training opportunities for middle and senior managers up to master’s degree level, they say you promise to provide training opportunities in relevant subjects in the public sector, uncle they say they still waiting.
Uncle, on page 8, you say good health is a basic human right and a vehicle for economic growth and social development. The NDC government is committed to improving the quality of health of all citizens of Grenada, Carricaou and Petite Martinique. They people say you tell the truth, because since they have no economic growth, they not surprise the basic health services lacking but, Uncle, they whispering that Aunty Ann use to be so vocal on the platform and they not hearing she now, people not getting medication, an Aunty Anne not doing anything to help. Uncle, and what about the National Health insurance? We still waiting on that. Uncle, to be honest you sure we achieve 75%?
Uncle, people talking a lot about the health they say you promised on page 9 of the manifesto to provide free health care for all children under 18, reduce waiting time in the accident and emergency department, introduce specialist outpatient clinics throughout the country, Uncle, you sure we do all that already.
Uncle, I like it when you say “the most effective way of ensuring our country’s successful future is through the engagement and involvement of our youth”, Uncle, but they say the unemployment is now 42% and a lot of it is youth, they say they only way youth engage is when they getting married. Uncle, they say all the things you promise you youth, so far you only deliver what you did not promise, and that is unemployment, because the first order of business for you was to send the Imani’s home.
Uncle, page 11 say the NDC admits that women are the backbone of the Grenadian society; they are more than half the workforce, the electorate and household heads. The agreed strategy is to invest heavily in women an NDC government will bring relief to women, updating the minimum wage legislation, ensuring that there is equal pay for equal work, strengthening the legislation and enforcement mechanisms to combat domestic violence and sexual harassment but, Uncle, they say somebody the government appoint a manager in the lottery office, sexually harassing the staff, and nobody not doing nothing. They say up to now, we cannot see a child development facility for working mothers in key government positions, and community centers lack child care facilities still. Uncle, all how ah check, I feel you wanted to say we still have 75% of the work to do, so give us another chance.
Uncle, I figured at least you would plan for the old age, Uncle, you say you would involve senior citizens in the dispensing of services in communities, uncle up to now, them getting older and nothing. Uncle, what about the pension money you promise to increase and the review of the pension benefits before and after 1983.
Sports for all page 12, putting existing facilities to good use, we not even getting a cricket match, Uncle, invest in physical infrastructure, Uncle, tanteen alone alone alone, Uncle, where is the body to govern sports. Uncle, where is the reward and incentives programme, Uncle, Kirani winning medal after medal and up to now we not capitalizing on that with the sports tourism.
I losing all my respect for you, this damn uncle ting not working, Hon. Tillman, where is the strengthening of community organisations, where are the opening of post offices, health centres in areas where the people are, the improvement of roads and transportation and the introduction of local government?
The NDC on Page 14 states the NDC will demonstrate its commitment to the social and economic development of Carriacou and Petite Martinique by enacting local government legislation and, in accordance with the constitution, institute the Council for Carriacou and Petite Martinique within 100 days of entering office. Uncle Tilly, we do that already, you sure I know ah lie that.
Uncle, on the big question of social security, the NDC promised to introduce the following, a safety net to ensure all citizens will have access to resources to prevent them from falling through the cracks of absolute destitution, Uncle, America and the first world powers cannot achieve that so where we going to get resources to do that. Uncle, people say they not even studying the rest of the things you promise in that area because it cannot happen.
Uncle, on the areas of transparency and good governance they say they shock to hear that money come into your bank account and you say that’s not true, but when I tell you that you promise good governance and transparency, you say they lie, is not $150,000 is $50,000. They lie on you.
Uncle, on infrastructure, not one new road build, uncle the boys fishing in the road now, I showed you the picture on Facebook. Uncle, no improvement and up to now CC cannot get their $20 million so no work going on 300 people lose their work.
Uncle, they say you get search in the airport, you lose the gifts they give you and you lose your diplomatic passport, they asking if that’s the new foreign policy. Uncle, economic development, they say it not happening, they suspect that’s another name for white in the moon light, because they not sure if it on although Nazim say it happening.
Uncle, all in all I write this letter leaving out a number of things because the letter would be too long, and I know you dose fall asleep fast. But, Uncle, if so far all them things not done, how did we achieve 75% percent of the manifesto. But they have a new talk going on the people say you are an honest man, and they believe that even though Nazim write the speech and he say 75% what you said was we achieve only 5% of the manifesto.
Uncle, good day and good bye, I wish you well and I hope things work out. I trust that you realize that you only have 362 days left in power, so make the most of it. Take all the pictures in the parliament, travel all over the world, take pictures with great men and enjoy yourself. Uncle Keith coming back soon.
Your favourite nephew
Tilly Mitchell
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