By: Staff Writer
May 24, 2022
Grenada elections will be held on June 23 with nomination day on June 1, Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell is seeking a third consecutive term at the helm of the country.
The ruling New National Party (NNP), led by Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, will face a challenge from the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who is contesting the elections with the young attorney, Dickon Mitchell, at the helm.
Dr Mitchell is seeking his second three-peat having won three consecutive elections during 1995-2003 and now in the second run between 2013 to now.
Dr Mitchell told supporters that he had already asked Governor General Dame Cécile La Grenade, to dissolve the Parliament on Monday, May 16. “I have also asked the Governor General to issue the writ for the election on Tuesday May 17, in other words, only one day you have to try to register, if you ain’t register yet. I warned you already, I warned you, I warned you”.
The publication of the writs was made on Wednesday, May 18, with Nomination Day being Wednesday June 1.
He said police officers will be voting on June 20 and “therefore on Thursday, June 23 we ready to vote sisters and brothers, we ready to vote Thursday June 23.
“So you know what that means, if you do the right thing, we feting Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday ,” he said.
“We are on the road to victory,” Mitchell told supporters at the launch of two women candidates of the NNP’s for the elections, adding “we must know how to vote in the next few weeks
Mr Mitchell, however, is not happy about the Prime Minister’s date selection for the elections.
He said the announcement last Saturday night by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell disclosing the election date giving voters just one day to ensure they are registered, undermines democracy on the island.
But Mr Mitchell, speaking on an NDC social media cast said “an election is a very serious issue, it determines the shape of the country often not just for five years but for generations to come.
“It is a little unfortunate that obviously only 24 hours essentially in terms of a working day have been given to citizens who have not yet registered to be registered and I am sure they are displeased about that given that the election date is June 23.
“I certainly think that some more time could have been afforded to citizens who are not registered to be registered. It probably speaks to the mindset of the incumbent. Democracy, the rule of law, the right to participate in elections should be something that should be amplified, and our citizens should be given as much opportunity as possible to be able to take part in it,” Mr Mitchell said.
Dr Mitchell, undeterred by the concerns said: “In the upcoming election the choice is clear. This New National Party has successfully built the bridge to the future,”adding “let tonight be the night we commit ourselves to the future”
Dr Mitchell said his administration had been able to stabilize the local economy, brought back discipline to the budgetary process, a situation that found favour with the international community.
“We need to judge the last nine years,” he said, adding that the last four years had also been one of application and devotion.
“We said we will deliver and we did in fact deliver, sisters and brothers. We delivered to the public servants millions of dollars of increases after a period of getting not one cent. We delivered to the youths who had been cast away by re-investing in training and personal development.
He said his administration had also developed the environment for increased investment in the country, warning “we cannot go back to stagnation”.