Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has sent a clear warning to his political opponents that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) does not intend to surrender power anytime soon and intends to remain in office after the upcoming general election.
Addressing a crowd estimated at between 7000-10, 000 at a rally held last Sunday to mark the party’s 4th anniversary in office, the Prime Minister said, “There will be no change in the party that is going to run this country for the next 5 years” as he dropped hints that the election will be held next year and not in 2026 as being speculated by many political pundits.
He told the gathering assembled at the Morne Rouge playing field in the south of the island that the NDC will be coming soon to the people to get them involved in putting together its manifesto for the upcoming national poll.
“We want you the people to write the Manifesto for the National Democratic Congress in the next election, he said, adding, “Starting in July and August, we will go to all of the Polling Divisions throughout Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique and we will meet with you in each Constituency, each parish and we will ask you to tell us what you want done in your village, your Polling Division in your Constituency.”
“We will write that down, we will put it together and will come back and present it to you as the Manifesto of the people… for the development of Grenada for the next 5 years,” he said.
Congress currently controls 10 of the 15 seats in Parliament.
According to the Prime Minister, this kind of manifesto approach should send the message to the other opposition parties that NDC intends to win the next general election.
“So, when I tell you that you are writing your manifesto you understand that I’m saying therefore there will be no change in government for the next 5 years.
“There will be no change in the party that is going to run this country for the next 5 years because you the people of Grenada have chosen – you have seen the work over the last 5 years, you have seen the energy over the last 5 years, you have seen the empathy and the care over the last 5 years.
“You have seen if we have fallen short that we accept our blame, we accept the criticisms and we put on our boots to try again.
“So, when you write the manifesto you are doing so understanding that the National Democratic Congress will be in office come 2027 to 2032.”
The Prime Minister called on NDC members and supporters to get ready as he intends to ring the bell in due course for the holding of the election.
He urged them to make sure that everyone including their children who are eligible to vote are registered to take part in the election.
“Register your brothers and Sisters if they ain’t registered yet. Check your ID Cards, make sure your neighbour’s neighbour and your friends know that we are ready to go that the Conch shell will blow,” he said.
“We are on the ground, we’re in the trenches – it is boots on the ground,” he added.
PM Dickon Mitchell warned his supporters that the happenings on Social Media platforms like Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, Fake Pages and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as rumours and lies as peddled by the Opposition will not influence the outcome of the next election.
“You ain’t winning no war by no aerial bombardment and ain’t campaign – you have to come on the ground,” he said.
The main challengers to Congress in the upcoming general election are the New National Party (NNP) now headed by former Education Minister Emmalin Pierre and the newly formed Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) of former NDC and NNP executive member Peter David.