MR. REYNOLD BENJAMIN, NEWLY ELECTED POLITICAL LEADER OF THE GULP

Newly elected Political Leader of the Grenada United Labour Party, (GULP), Mr. Reynold Benjamin says a GULP government in office will immediately set about straightening out the economy and putting people back to work. Benjamin said that under the present NNP administration the economy is being managed without direction, without plan and no sense of organization.

What is needed he said are comprehensive short term, medium term and long term plans for the resurrection of the Grenada economy.

This rescue plan as he put it will have as key tool the restructuring of the Ministry of Works and the Public Works Department. The resuscitation of the agricultural industry will also play a major role in this overall revival of the local economy.

The GULP Political Leader is aware that money will be the key factor in the revival and fast forwarding of the economy but this money his party is confident can be raised through the prudent exploitation of Grenada’s oil and gas reserves.

Benjamin said the GULP will go back to serious economic planning since it is not practical to run a country from day to day making do as you go along as the present administration is doing. “You must have an overall economic plan.”

The Attorney by profession said the development of the offshore resources of oil and gas will create the necessary revenue flow to finance other aspects of development.

The party plans to subsidize farmers with labour so that they can more effectively cultivate their farms thereby reviving the agricultural industry which he said has been neglected under the NNP.

Tourism as well has been badly managed Benjamin said and instead of empowering local entrepreneurs to take on the development of the tourism infrastructure that NNP has presided over a situation where foreign investors are coming in, buying up all of our prime lands and creating a scenario of re-colonization.

Benjamin said a GULP government will not be favorable to that sort of development since it believes that as far as possible local should be encouraged to undertake the development of the country so that the money earned from the increased activity will stay in Grenada to further stimulate the economy and encourage more development.

Education reform will also be given attention by a GULP administration which too will be facilitated by the revenue earned from the proper utilization of our oil and gas reserves.

However the GULP is of the conviction that on coming into office immediate attention must be given to the creation of jobs and emphasizes the need to reorganize the Ministry of Works public works projects and the acquisition of grants and loans to get the economy stimulated in the short term.

The philosophy of the party is that as soon as there are adequate employment opportunities in the country we will witness at least a start in the control in the increasing youth violence that has been troubling us as Grenadians so much lately.
The party leader said that although violence among youth has always been a problem since it seems to be part of their growing up it has reached unacceptable levels in the last few years.
This is something we have to keep a handle on ha said since there are many causes of youth violence including economic depravity, and lack of employment. He thinks whatever the problem is government has a responsibility to always provide for the youth.

He reiterated therefore the need for the creation of employment since getting the young people gainfully employed is one way of keeping their minds on positive things.

What Benjamin does not consider as real development is the way Grenada is returning to a neo-colonial state where foreigners are coming and taking control of all the means of production and revenue earning.
In this situation foreign professionals are being brought to take up all of the prominent, high paying jobs while our own people are being relegated to cleaners, gardeners, servers and messengers in other words hewers of wood and bringers of water.

Benjamin thinks our people are being returned to a subservient state in their own land and the government is encouraging and directing it.

He wants to return pride to the Grenadian people and give them some sort of control over the development of their country and the benefits to be derived from it.

MEMBERS OF THE TEAM THAT IS GOING TO TAKE THE GULP FORWARD.

As far as the recent convention of the GULP is concerned, the leader described as a major achievement since it changed the face of the GULP.
He said a lot of young people have been brought into the party and they have been given a stake in the organization.

Benjamin said the convention was a manifestation of the hard work over the years, talking to young people and encouraging them to come into the party.

He confesses to feeling happy that the face of the party has changed and is comfortable that its future is assured and will be in good hands.