In September 2011, the NDC administration secured the single largest ever project approval from the World Bank. Signed by Nazim Burke, then Finance Minister, on behalf of the Government of Grenada, some of the funds secured were applied to refurbish The Lance and Hubble Bridges, the Holy Cross R.C. and St. Patrick’s Anglican Primary Schools, the Cadorna and Hills View Homes for the elderly, the rock fall mitigation at Sendall’s Tunnel and River Road.
It is generally accepted in Grenada that the NDC in Government, takes decisions based on what is best for the country, even at the risk of subsequent electoral loss. This was the case in 1995, when, following the only true home grown structural adjustment program we have ever had, elections were held just as Grenada was poised for significant development. The NNP inherited this healthy economy. For political expediency, they recklessly squandered that opportunity and amassed a national debt of over $2bn that, together with hurricane Ivan, set the country back and so that further fiscal measures were required by 2005.
The NDC in Government always seeks to take decisions and actions that are in the best interests and benefit the people of Grenada in the long term. Good governance and propriety in office are hallmarks of which we are proud.
The 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) was held in Geneva, Switzerland last month, May 2019 and the delegates adopted three resolutions relating to Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The resolutions are expected to be acted upon by delegates when they return home, since these are the recommended approaches to strengthen our health systems and provide quality health coverage for the entire population. These resolutions require member states to implement recommendations agreed upon in 2018, which would strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) to “have quality, integrated health systems and empowered individuals and communities”. It also suggests that attention be placed on Community Health Workers, who should be in the frontline of delivering PHC. The resolutions supported the organizing of a High-Level Meeting at the United Nations in New York during September 2019 to discuss Universal Health Coverage and finally the resolutions asked Member States to “accelerate progress towards universal health coverage with a focus on poor, vulnerable and marginalized individuals and groups”.
When countries have oil and gas resources, they typically sign Production Sharing Agreements (“PSA”) with foreign oil companies (in this article called “FOC”) for exploration and development of those resources. There are certain basic characteristics in PSAs, that ensure that the country with the oil and gas resource and the FOC mutually benefit from the relationship. The PSA that our Government signed with GPG on 31st March 2008 departed significantly from these basic characteristics, so that it was heavily one-sided in favour of GPG.