ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Antigua Labour Party (ALP) said it is unfazed by the defeat of an opposition motion of no confidence in Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.
ALP leader Lester Bird yesterday told OBSERVER Media that his party would not let what happened in Grenada deter its intention to lodge a similar motion against this country’s leader at the next sitting of Parliament.
The Grenadian leader survived the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition New National Party, with eight MPs voting against, five in favour, one abstaining and one absent.
Bird told OBSERVER Media that the ALP has taken cognizance of what happened in Grenada so as to be guided and strengthened by it, but not dissuaded.
He said the party is in the process of drafting the motion, with some of its best minds engaged in doing so, to ensure that what is presented in Parliament will stand a good chance of success.
Another opposition executive member, who did not want to be named, said in drafting the motion, any useful lessons or examples would be taken into account.
But he added that the ALP will not allow itself to be intimidated by what has happened to opposition motions before – whether here or in other places.
The ALP, which presently holds seven of the 17 seats in the elected house of Parliament, has indicated its intention to bring the no-confidence motion over myriad issues which it says are symptomatic of maladministration by the governing United Progressive Party (UPP) and inept leadership by Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer.
Among the main opposition grouses triggering the no-confidence threat are the controversies surrounding the new Chinese-built Wadadli Power Plant at Crabbs, amendment to the country’s election laws and allegations surrounding the expenditure of tens of millions of dollars to fence various playing fields.
