The NDC administration, which in 2022 discarded the years-long practice of the hosting of weekly post-cabinet media briefings, is acting on the belief that it does not have to account to the Grenadian people, according to opposition MP Peter David, leader of the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM).
“They believe that once they get your vote, they owe you nothing until the next election. No updates. No accountability. No respect for the people who put them there,’’ David said in a DPM podcast.
He specifically referenced a ban, announced last year by the United States government, on fish entering the US from Grenada and some other countries.
The American government, through the fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and under what’s known as the “Marine Mammal Protection Act’’, said the ban was aimed at ensuring that seafood entering United States markets adhered to the same high standards as US-caught seafood.
Other nations must demonstrate “comparability finding’’ for their fisheries, said NOAA, underscoring the need for adequate protections by countries to ensure the safety of marine mammals during commercial fishing.
The fish import restriction took effect last week, January 1.
As the new year started, there was no comment on the issue from any Grenada government minister. Instead, a news release was issued on January 2 by the Government Information Service (GIS), saying that our country had successfully submitted a complete reapplication for a comparability finding through NOAA.
“NOAA has formally acknowledged receipt of Grenada’s reapplication, and the review process is currently underway. NOAA has advised that the timing of a final determination will depend on the completion of its legal, scientific, and administrative review processes,’’ the GIS release said.
Questions around the fish ban and Grenada’s response still remain, David insisted.
“These are not complicated questions. They require yes or no answers,’’ he said. “But this is the pattern, is it not? Previous administrations held weekly post-cabinet briefings. The media could ask questions. The public could hear directly what their government was doing. This administration ended that practice. They believe they do not have to tell you anything.’’
After being elected to office in June 2022, the current administration said that information through the media will be disseminated on a “need-to-know basis’’.
“The fishers in Gouyave, Grenville, Petite Martinique – their livelihoods may be on the line. And, the government that made a commitment in parliament cannot be bothered to tell them where things stand,’’ said David, a former Minister of Agriculture, Tourism and Foreign Affairs.
“Silence is not leadership. It is contempt. First, we question why this government believes transparency is optional. Then, we organize to demand the accountability our people deserve. Finally, we move forward – together.’’
