ST GEORGE’S, Grenada – Days before the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is due to hold its long awaited national convention, a senior member of the party has resigned.
William Joseph, who also served as first chief-of-staff in the office of the Prime Minister during the Tillman Thomas administration, is accusing NDC deputy political leader Nazim Burke of “serious misconduct”, saying he is not fit to take over the control of the party from Thomas.
In his letter of resignation, Joseph called Burke “selfish and a national liability,” who was central to the party’s division while in power.
Thomas recently announced that he would not contest the leadership of the NDC in the February 2 convention where the election of a new executive is the main agenda item.
The convention will be the first since the party lost all 15 seats in the last general election.
Party officials said that Burke, who served as finance minister in the Thomas administration, is seen by political observers as the person expected to take over the leadership of the party.
At the party’s last convention in 2012, the NDC members voted to expel a number of frontline party members, including former tourism minister Peter David, foreign affairs minister Karl Hood, culture minister Arley Gill and labour minister Glynnis Roberts.
Thomas admitted following the party’s defeat in the general election that the infighting and the expulsion had in “some ways” contributed to the outcome of the election in which the party despite receiving more than 20 000 votes failed to win a single seat in parliament. (CMC)
