by Nisha Paul
- Party contenders: National Democratic Congress (NDC), New National Party (NNP) and Democratic People’s Movement (DPM)
- Dickon Mitchell’s government programmes requires more time to deliver intended results, particularly in key areas of national development
- Peter David has represented Town of St George in 4 consecutive general elections
- Government under Emmalin Pierre’s leadership would make her Grenada’s first female prime minister
Grenada’s 5 November General Election will test 3 distinct political ambitions: Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell’s bid for a 2nd consecutive term of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Opposition Leader Emmalin Pierre’s attempt to lead the New National Party (NNP) back into government, and Peter David’s effort to establish the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) as a viable political alternative.
With candidates formally nominated on 15 October, the contest is entering a decisive phase, with the outcome depending not only on the national appeal of party leaders but also on the political battles unfolding across the country’s 15 constituencies.
For Mitchell, Pierre, and David, the election offers each an opportunity to make history. The NDC has never won two consecutive terms, and if NNP wins and Pierre wins her seat, she will become the first female Prime Minister. David’s challenge is to translate years of electoral experience into support for a political movement he established after leaving the NNP.
Voters are preparing to assess the incumbent administration’s record, consider the opposition’s alternative, and decide whether a 3rd political force deserves a place in the next Parliament.
Since its formation in 1987, the NDC has won 3 general elections: 1990, 2008 and 2022, but has never secured consecutive victories. Mitchell is seeking to change that record after leading the NDC to a 9-seat majority in the June 2022 general election. The NNP, then led by former prime minister Dr Keith Mitchell, secured the remaining 6 elected seats. The NDC received 31,432 votes nationally, compared with 28,960 for the NNP, giving the ruling party a lead of 2,472 votes (4%).
Making his case for another term, the incumbent Mitchell argued that his government’s programmes require more time to deliver its intended results, particularly in key areas of national development, stating, “The NDC has always put people first, and this is an opportunity to make sure that we continue on that trajectory.”
He added that many of the government’s transformative initiatives “require more than a single 4-year cycle, particularly in healthcare, education and infrastructure.”
His argument places continuity at the centre of the NDC’s campaign, as the prime minister seeks a renewed mandate to advance projects and policies already underway. But Mitchell must also defend his parliamentary seat in St David, where he defeated the NNP’s Oliver Joseph in 2022 by 1,672 votes (a 23% lead), securing 4,414 votes to Joseph’s 2,742.
This time, his challenger is NNP candidate Noleen Thompson, who is making her first bid for a parliamentary seat.
Thompson is seeking to persuade St David voters that she can offer a different approach to the constituency’s challenges, with particular emphasis on support for vulnerable families, young people and employment. She identified families raising children with special needs and elderly residents among the groups whose circumstances have influenced her priorities. “I am touched by the people that have special needs, families with special needs children and the elderly,” Thompson said, pointing to a care package outlined in the NNP manifesto to support those families.
She also highlighted vocational training for young people, transportation difficulties in St David and the need to create employment opportunities. “Transportation in St David is also another problem that we have, and we have solutions for that — jobs,” she said.
Thompson argued that employment opportunities remain a concern in the constituency, claiming that jobs are being lost despite previous discussions about job creation. Her proposals place social support, skills training, transportation and employment at the centre of her campaign. The challenge will be convincing voters that her plans offer a credible alternative to the incumbent’s record.
The contest is significant because Thompson is not only challenging an established constituency representative but also the sitting prime minister.
Meanwhile, Pierre seeks to convince voters that the NNP is ready to resume office, insisting that the party is preparing its plans before 5 November rather than waiting until after the results are known.
Pierre said the NNP had assembled a strong team and developed a plan for governing Grenada, with detailed discussions on how its proposals would be implemented. “We are preparing ourselves for governance. What we don’t want is to win an election, and then the next day you’re trying to figure out what you’re going to do,” Pierre said.
Her comments frame preparedness and national unity as central to the NNP’s appeal as it seeks to unseat Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell’s NDC and return to government.
Pierre, who has held the St Andrew South East seat through the past 3 general elections: 2013, 2018 and 2022, defeated NDC candidate David Andrew in the June 2022 poll by 233 votes (6%), 1,893 to 1,660.
This time, Andrew is back in the race, hoping to overturn that result, expressing a high level of confidence that he could unseat Pierre in the race. “…Certainly, from where I started 4 years ago, to where I am now, I am extremely confident, but that confidence is doused in humility and gratitude to the people who have made this possible,” he remarked.
While Mitchell and Pierre lead the two established parties, David is seeking to introduce a different dynamic through the DPM. David has represented the Town of St George in 4 consecutive general elections, beginning with the NDC in 2008 before moving to the NNP, under which he retained the seat in 2013, 2018 and 2022. After being expelled from the then Tillman Thomas-led NDC in 2012 and later resigning from the NNP in 2025, David established the DPM, creating a new platform from which to contest the election. In 2022, he retained the Town of St George seat with 1,329 votes, defeating NDC candidate Claudette Joseph, who received 1,118 — a margin of 211 votes (9%).
David said, “I am overwhelmed by the support I received from the people of the Town of St George,” strengthening his confidence as he seeks another term.
Looking ahead to the final weeks of campaigning, he expressed optimism about his chances of victory. “I think we can do it,” David said, adding that he believes a broad cross-section of residents wants him to continue representing the constituency for a 5th time. His confidence will be tested as he campaigns under a new political banner rather than the NNP, the party under which he won the seat in the previous 2 elections.
The DPM has nominated candidates in 9 constituencies, while the NDC and NNP have fielded candidates in all 15. David therefore faces 2 challenges: retaining a seat he has held in 4 consecutive general elections, and demonstrating that his new movement can attract support beyond his own electoral base. The party’s performance could influence the wider political landscape, although its impact will depend on the support it attracts in individual constituencies.
Mitchell is asking voters to give his administration more time to pursue its transformative agenda. Thompson is campaigning on support for vulnerable families, vocational training, transportation and jobs in St David. Pierre is seeking to return the NNP to government, while David is betting on his record of constituency representation to strengthen the DPM.
As the campaign intensifies, voters will have to weigh those arguments against their own experiences, priorities and expectations of the next government. The result will determine not only who occupies the Office of the Prime Minister, but also the balance of power in Parliament and the direction Grenada takes over the next term.
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