Although Grenada is several months away from holding its next general elections, the early signs show that it will be more than a bruising battle among the various political parties.
The many postings on social media from supporters of the three main political parties indicate at this early stage that the battle lines have already been drawn and the fight for power will be a very nasty one.
It is against this backdrop that THE NEW TODAY is calling on Civil Society grouping to rise to the occasion and get involved in the process and not wait until the Prime Minister rings the Election Bell to try and put systems and mechanisms in place to govern the behaviour and conduct of candidates taking part in the election.
The upcoming general election will have far-reaching implications and consequences for many of the contestants.
In the case of the main opposition New National Party (NNP), a defeat will send a clear message that the stranglehold on the organisation by former Prime Minister Keith Mitchell will virtually be over.
Despite making a public pronouncement that he will not be contesting the next general election, Keith Mitchell still believes that he can plot the way for victory at the polls by the NNP.
Another loss for his party will send a clear message throughout the length and breadth of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique that the party has to look elsewhere for not only guidance but finance to significantly diminish his importance in the scheme of things.
An NNP loss at the polls will also provide the party with an opportunity to replace Emmalin Pierre not only as Political Party boss but Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
The party’s hierarchy was looking at the possibility in late 2025 to replace Pierre because its own internal polling done with assistance from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) of Prime Minister Andrew Holness was showing that the major problem facing the NNP was leadership.
Serious thought was given to find a new leader but in the end the decision was taken to keep Emmalin Pierre at the helm out of fear that removing her at that stage will send a signal of division within the ranks of the party.
The NNP Candidate for St George North-west Adrian Joseph will be looking on as a defeat for the party will raise his stock to take over as the new political boss as he is running in a safe seat that is considered as one of the two garrisons for them.
The NNP might be forced to engage in a changing of the guards as Emmalin Pierre is believed to be very vulnerable in St Andrew South-east and can expect a major challenge from Congress and the new entrant Yolanda McQueen who is already out campaigning and targeting the important Telescope polling division.
The upcoming general election might be the last for Peter David in the Town of St George because defeat at the polls will be difficult for him to bounce back at age 70.
Realistically, David is the only candidate for his newly formed Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) that can pull off a victory at the polls.
In the case of the ruling National Democratic Congress, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell will be seeking to do what no other leader of the party has done over the years – to win a second consecutive term in office.
The Prime Minister will be seeking to end that “curse” for the party in keeping with his stated intention when he entered frontline politics in 2021 to serve for two terms in office.
Dickon Mitchell will once again be the central figure in the NDC effort to hold onto power and remain in charge at the Botanical Gardens.
Congress will once again be looking to him to carry the fight and help some of the candidates to cross the line on Polling Day in order to prevent the other contenders from getting to sit in that important Chair on the Sixth Floor in the Ministerial Complex at the Botanical Gardens.
One of the major decisions for the Grenadian electorate is whether to replace Dickon Mitchell as Prime Minister of the country with NNP’s Emmalin Pierre.
THE NEW TODAY would like to take this opportunity to express its profound sadness over the loss of female journalist Linda Straker which will be a blow to the media fraternity.
Straker was one of the few journalists who continued to show a sense of commitment to the print media.
It’s a dying breed in the profession in Grenada and her death will be felt by those who remain committed to writing for the print media.
It is our hope that as media practitioners, some Grenadians will seize upon the opportunity provided by her loss to raise their hand and come out and make a mark for themselves in the media landscape in Print Journalism.
As we express sympathy to her children and family members, we pray that Her Soul will rest in Eternal Peace.