BOATSWAIN STRIKES AGAIN

St. George, April 2008 -- NDC candidate for St. Patrick West Joe Gilbert is accusing Member of Parliament for the constituency Anthony Botswain of unprofessionalism in trying to disrupt an opposition meeting held in La Mode last Saturday.

Botswain who is also Grenada's  Economic and Planning Minister reportedly got into a shouting match after he stopped at the opposition NDC meeting, accusing the NDC and its supporters of trespassing on 'his territory.'

According to Gilbert, Botswain came into the meeting and began verbally attacking a speaker,  who at the time was addressing the issue of  missing funds at the Grenada Industrial Development Corporation under Botswain's  management.

"The meeting was taking place in a fenced area, and Botswain parked close by and walked into the meeting and started shouting to the speaker to account for money he (the speaker) stole," said Gilbert.

Botswain reportedly challenged the speaker about the accusation that monies went missing under him that were also missing from the Grenada Industrial Development  Corporation  under his management.

According to several eye witnesses and Gilbert, Botswain even challenged a supporter for a fight and hurled several expletives at others.

The presence of a combative Botswain reportedly encouraged other  New National Party supporters who were in the vicinity of the meeting resulting in chaos.

"The meeting was going on for about an hour without any problem even with NNP supporters there, until Boswain showed up", Gilbert remarked.

Gilbert said he is concerned about the incident and the message that is being sent by the NNP.

"If I realize that the opposition is having a meeting and I happen to be passing I would go on my way. To stop and instigate a potentially explosive situation is very unprofessional", Gilbert said.

He added: "I cannot understand what is going through his mind at this time. I can only conclude that it may be the pressure from the NDC why he's behaving in this manner".

Botswain has sought to downplay the incident admitting that he was present at the opposition meeting but that he did not disrupt it.

Boswain however took issue with the speaker's decision to speak about the missing funds at the GIDC under his management, noting that the matter was already been addressed in the courts.

"When you come to have a political meeting, people want to hear issues not personal attacks. When you come in a man village you have to behave yourself in a certain way so that you do not anger the people", Boswain remarked.

Boswain's latest action comes on the heels of controversial comments he made recently about undesirables taking over the reigns of government in the region.