CMC – The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government increased its majority in the 15-member Parliament on Tuesday after opposition legislator, Delma Thomas crossed the floor to join the government that came into office in June last year.
Thomas, who had been a minister in the last New National Party (NNP) administration, told the Speaker, Leo Cato, that she had decided to join the government because she no longer felt welcome on the opposition benches. NNP leader and former prime minister Dr. Keith Mitchell made no public statement on the issue.
“Mr. Speaker this morning, I make the decision to leave the side where I am no longer welcome at the table,” she said, adding that her relationship with some in the minority was no longer working out.
“There are some relationships after 40 years you walk away because it’s not working out well, so we tell our women when you are in an abusive relationship, where there are issues in the relationship and it cannot be resolved, you walk away,” the former social development minister told Parliament.
“I will move to continue to represent the people of St Andrew’s North West,” said Thomas, who has represented that constituency since 2013. She gave the assurance that resigning as the Member of Parliament for that area is not part of her plan.
“They will be getting two for one,” said Thomas, in an apparent reference to Gloria Thomas, who contested the constituency for the NDC in the June 23 general election and is now a member of the Upper House.
Thomas said she has no intention of joining the Cabinet of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, who led the NDC to a 9-6 victory in the last general elections over the NNP that had since 2013, won all 15 seats in the parliament.
“I am not looking to come into the Cabinet, Mr. Prime Minister. You remember that discussion, but if I want a work somewhere….there are other members here who are working too, and if I travelled because I am a consultant then there is nothing wrong with that because there are consultants here too who travel,” she said.
The last time Grenada witnessed a legislator crossing the floor was in 1995 when following the general election Michael Baptiste and Clarence Rapier, who were candidates of the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) joined the NNP and later became government ministers.
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