St George, Grenada — The New National Party (NNP) is raising serious concerns and criticisms regarding the recent controversy surrounding the signing of the SAMOA Agreement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister.

During a national press conference held on November 22nd, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in tandem with the Prime Minister, assured the citizens of Grenada that they were not signing the SAMOA Agreement and that there was no urgency in doing so. Shockingly, the Office of the Prime Minister announced on the very same day that the agreement had been signed, leaving the public perplexed and frustrated.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs attempted to explain this discrepancy during his Party’s Programme yesterday, stating that his initial denial of the signing was due to a lack of communication with the ambassador who signed the agreement. This explanation only raises more questions and concerns about the competency and coordination within the government.

Interestingly, the first draft of the agreement was with the government for several months. As a matter of fact the government was expected to provide feedback to the European Union by July 3rd 2023. So Minister Andall’s timeline of the events surrounding the agreement is woefully lacking in merit.

The NNP has articulated the following critical questions:

• Is the Minister using another statement to cover up his initial misleading remarks?
• Did the ambassador act independently without proper guidance from the state?
• Was there any cabinet discussion or approval regarding the SAMOA Agreement?
• Why did the ambassador sign such a crucial document without consulting the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister, or the government of Grenada? Is there a fundamental lack of communication within the government, particularly between the Minister and the ambassador?
• Does the Minister exercise any control over the actions taken on behalf of Grenada by its representatives?

The NNP asserts that the citizens of Grenada deserve transparency, accountability, and honesty from their elected officials. The Minister’s attempt to distort the truth is unacceptable and undermines the trust of the people.

The NNP will closely monitor developments related to the SAMOA Agreement and will continue to hold the government accountable for its actions.