by Linda Straker
- Tobias Clement is Leader of the Opposition in House of Representatives
- Presently in discussion to launch new political organisation
- Might appoint a different person to complete his 3-person senators list
Two months after receiving his instrument of appointment as Leader of the Opposition in Grenada’s House of Representatives, Tobias Clement has announced that he is presently in discussion with like-minded persons to launch a new political organisation.
“Yes, from where I sit, I do believe there will be an organisation formed from my end and the people who are around me,” he said during a news conference on Wednesday. “I am in discussion, we are in discussion about it. I am gathering the forces together.”
Without providing many details about the pending organisation, Clement who became a member of Parliament as a candidate for the ruling New National Party (NNP) but resigned in December 2019 said that political movement will be a reflection of the people coming together and not a reflection of him.
“I always say in moving forward if an organisation is formed or a movement, I do not want it to become me. We must put our heads together, people of like minds, people who are hungry in Grenada for something new and a platform they can look to for hope and development of this country. That is the direction we are going,” he said. “I do believe that people want us to move hastily because of the present situation we are in. We will hasten but we will do all our checks and balances and vetting as much as we can, but there will be a new movement, a new organisation. There will be a new party in Grenada.”
Since 2013, the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament was vacant because the New National Party won all 15 seats in both the 2013 and 2018 General Elections. Clement who was a government backbencher in the Parliament resigned from the NNP in December but did not resign as a Member of Parliament. He represents the constituency of St George’s Northeast.
He then decided to cross the floor and take up the post of Leader of the Opposition. In that position, he has the authority to appoint 3 senators in the Upper House of Parliament. He has since appointed 2 because the third person is stuck overseas because of Covid-19.
Clement, on Wednesday, told the media that because he is uncertain when the airport will re-open for commercial passenger flights, he might appoint a different person to complete his senators list. “There are other options on the table for me,” he said.
Oh boy, here we go again. We have seen Third Party comes and goes without making any significant difference which will Improve the lives and livelihoods of the Grenadian people, so don’t think in anyway that Tobias and his so-call new political party will succeed.
Any idea what this party will be called and what are their intentions for Grenada in the coming years which is going to be very hard .