ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – The Grenada United Labour Party (GULP), one of the oldest political organisations here, has announced plans to hold a national convention as part of the effort to regain the government it lost during the first ever coup in an English speaking Caribbean country in 1979.

Colin Francis, 34, the caretaker leader of the party formed by the late Sir Eric Gairy in 1951, said the convention will be held later this month as it prepares to contest the 2013 general election.

The GULP, which has already launched a 300-strong national youth arm, said it would be targeting the youth vote which constitutes 60 per cent of the population.

“It was not difficult mobilising young people in all of the different constituencies. Most of the constituencies that we have put together at least half of the delegates are very very young people,” said Francis.

“In some cases we had a number of school children at the secondary school level coming forward and identifying themselves as members of the GULP and wanting to work simply because their parents and grandparents have schooled them on the legacy of the GULP”.

Since it was overthrown by the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) in 1979, the GULP has seen its popularity dwindle in post revolutionary Grenada, winning just two seats in the 1995 general elections and it has not been represented in the 15-member Parliament since.

Francis has made it clear that the party would not be engaged in any internal wrangling as had been the case since the death of Sir Eric in 1997.

“We have successfully ironed out our leadership feud. I am not going to be part of any wrangling. In fact, if there is any sight of any confusion within the leadership or within GULP party in itself then I would not be part of any thing that is confusion oriented”.

The GULP’s effort to rebuild may have been assisted by the resignation of several senior members including Gloria Payne Banfield and Reynold Banjamin, who have been part of the ongoing leadership feud.

“The only reason I have committed my time and effort in the rebuilding process is because the senior men and women who love GULP very much decided that in the interest of the rebuilding process that there will find ways and means to work together,” Francis said.

“Men who have made their contribution to the GULP in the past, they must gracefully step aside and allow the party to move on. This is the only formula, there cannot be any wrangling, and there cannot be any confusion within the GULP any more”.