by Linda Straker
- Covid-19 measures cancels 2 major NNP activities for 2020
- Convention will be held in early 2021
- 2019 Convention was held on 27 October
Roland Bhola, General Secretary of the ruling New National Party (NNP), said that measures put in place by the health authorities and through legislative regulations to contain and control the spread of Covid-19, are responsible for the Party’s inability to host its 2 major activities for the year 2020.
Normally the party would hold its general council meeting within the first quarter of any given year while the convention where an executive is elected is held in the last quarter. However, Bhola said that the convention will be held in early 2021.
Since recording the first laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 case in March, Grenada adopted measures that will among other things restrict mass gathering, mandate 6 feet physical distancing of citizens when out in public, as well as the wearing of a face mask and or appropriate face-covering in public.
“The convention is the highest decision-making body, that is where for example you can make changes to your constitution, things like that. We could not do it this year because of Covid and the procedures that need to be followed,” Bhola said in a virtual news conference on Thursday, 5 November 2020.
Bhola said the organising committee explored the possibility of holding the Convention virtually to minimise a mass crowd gathering, but cancelled in anticipation of hosting an in-person convention in the first quarter of 2021. “We attempted, we tried…We started the process and then we decided that maybe we can wait to see what next year looks like,” said the General Secretary who confirmed that in accordance with the Party’s constitution, the necessary action is in the process to extend the life of the current executive.
“So, our first major event in 2021 will be the convention,” said Bhola who estimates more than 1,000 people inclusive of delegates and observers, will normally attend the Party’s convention.
The 2019 Convention for the party was held on 27 October.
Not once can the health authorities say after much – uncontrolled partied of youths, including situations where positively tested COVID19 patients hug, kiss, drank run and party with regular citizens – has any community spread.
Only the blind and politically controlled are pushing these agenda of controlling mass gatherings.
Seems like this whole point of this is to break the spirit of poor people from the little community love and support they get from their social gatherings.