by Curlan Campbell, NOW Grenada
- NDC concerned over large number of non-voters
- Assessing the results of the election
- In full support of the prime minister’s call for unity
Despite a voter turnout of 73.65%, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is extremely concerned over a large number of non-voters in the just-concluded 13 March General Elections.
Statistics from the Parliamentary Elections Office (PEO) show over 20,000 registered voters did not exercise their constitutional right to vote.
Political Leader of the NDC, Nazim Burke said his party would reach out to those non-voters in an attempt to understand the rationale behind their decision.
“The biggest disappointment of the entire campaign was the failure or refusal of close to 21,000 people to participate in the electoral process. It is possible that this decision on their part may have been the result of many different factors. Obviously, our party has the responsibility to reach out to understand their thinking.”
The NDC is currently in the process of assessing the results of the election, and last Friday met with the youth arm of the party. “We had a meeting with the youth arm. We started with the young people because we consider them the most vulnerable and most hurt and disappointed by the outcome.”
Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell during his swearing-in ceremony last Friday, extended an olive branch to the rank and file of the NDC.
“To the leadership of the NDC, we sincerely invite you to take this proposal seriously. One of the first act as prime minister that I will take will be to dispatch a letter putting this invitation to the leadership of the National Democratic Congress in the interest of nation-building. We can remain in our respective parties, but we don’t have to fight each other every day of the year. This electoral war is over. Let peace reign, let’s work together; we lose nothing.”
In response, the NDC Leader said the party is in full support of the prime minister’s call for unity but fears that this may just be all talk and no action. “We support unity. We have spoken of unity throughout our campaign. We believe Grenada needs to be a united country in order to move forward. The issue is really maybe just empty words.”
The National Democratic Congress has promised to update the media following their assessment of the just concluded election.
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