This is the National Democratic Congress election to win.
Those were the words of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell last Sunday night as he addressed supporters at a mini rally in St Paul’s where he announced that the date for the upcoming general election will be given Sunday at a mass rally planned for St Mark on the west coast.
A confident looking Grenadian leader said he sees the upcoming election as one aimed at validating “the last 4 years” of Congress rule on the island.
“The last election (in 2022) was about lifting the cloud over Grenada – it was about throwing Jonah overboard. It was about retiring people who don’t want to retire so we retired them – we threw them overboard,” he said.
This is an obvious reference to the 9-6 defeat suffered by the aging Keith Mitchell at the polls in which he called on Grenadians to give him “one for the road” as he intended not to contest another general election on the island.
According to Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, the upcoming election is about “validating the actual work that had been done for the last four years” in office by Congress.
He said there is a lot of work still to be done and urged party supporters to make sure that “there isn’t any chance of resurrection” of the Keith Mitchell-dominated NNP in the country.
“We need to make sure that no dark cloud ever descends on Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique again,” he said.
He went on to say: “We need to bury the days of victimisation for once and for all. We need to bury the days of not believing in our people.”
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell also signaled his intention to capture two of the most prized seats held by NNP since the 1984 general election and to battle hard for St George North-west, the longstanding seat of former Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, as well as St Mark.
NDC has selected retired school principal Caris DeGannes to try and win the St Mark seat against NNP’s Dr. Myanna Charles while recently retired Primary school head master Nigel DeGale (NDC) will battle against Adrian Joseph, the former acting Clerk of Parliament.
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell made an impassioned plea for residents in these two constituencies considered as “garrisons” for the NNP to “turn a new chapter” and to “move forward” with Congress.
“It is time to turn a new chapter – it is time to put the people of St George North-west forward (and) they should no longer be taken for granted.
“There should not be no automatic assumption, no begging. Let us empower our people, let us educate them, let us support them. Let us make sure that we bring WASH to St George North-west and eliminate all the pit latrines that have been left there for the past 40 years.
“Let us make sure we bring back the Fontenoy Football Club, let us make sure we could bring steelpan and a music school and a vibrant Community Centre and some cricket.”
In taking a pot-shot at former PM Keith Mitchell, an ex-national cricketer, the current Grenadian leader stated that he thought that under his watch as leader of the country for over 25 years that “St George North-west would have had the strongest Cricket League.”
With specific reference to St Mark, he said it is time for the parish “to turn a new page” under NDC’s new candidate Caris DeGannes.
“The past is the past, we can’t change that but it is also time for St Mark to be put on the Map and to move forward with the rest of us. So no longer should you be forgotten, no longer should you feel like a stepchild to the rest of Grenada.
“We are starting (the NDC Campaign) in St Mark because we intend to take that territory. It is time for the people of St Mark to have proper representation.
“I have no doubt that when we touch down the whole of St Mark will be (shell town). So Victoria, a beautiful sun will set on October 4 – a loud conch shell will ring out on October 4 and then You, Me, Us will be ready for more because once you see that date in the sky.”
This is an indication that Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell will be utilising Drone Technology to flash the election date in the sky over the St Mark Constituency.
The Prime Minister also disclosed that during the days of campaigning set aside for the General Election, the expectation is that “we will take the temperature down” on two historic holiday days.
He identified one as October 19 to mark the bloody execution of former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and three Cabinet colleagues and the other on October 25 when U.S and Caribbean troops landed on the island to put down the bloody military junta that had seized power in the palace coup in which Bishop was executed.
He said the nation needs “to respect the ultimate sacrifices made by our beloved Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet.”
“So on October 19 (National Heroes Day) we need to make sure we pay tribute, respect and homage to those who have gone before us and on the 25th we also need to mark and observe Thanksgiving for the restoration of Parliamentary Democracy.
“So on those two days we will take it down but for the rest of October starting from October 4 in St Mark when (Senator) Quinc (Britton) blows the conch shell it has to be road and boots on the ground.”
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell urged NDC supporters to start putting the organisational structures in place in order to bring out voters on Election Day, especially those who will be responsible for a certain quota of the voting population.
“We have to make sure that we bring out our grandma, grandpa, nen-nen, our children, grandchildren and make sure they come to the polls.”
Speculation is rife that the election will be held on a day between October 27-29.