Grenada’s former PM bows out of politics
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — Former prime minister Dr Keith Mitchell Thursday night bowed out of politics in Grenada after he named the acting clerk of Parliament, Dr Adrian Joseph, as his successor to the St George North West constituency that he has represented in the legislative chambers since 1984.
The 79-year-old Mitchell, who recently remarried, is the founding leader of the main Opposition, New National Party (NNP). He has been the parliamentary representative for the party’s stronghold constituency and on Thursday night, named Joseph as the caretaker for the seat.
“To the people of St George North West, you trusted me with the privilege of representing you in the Parliament of this country for over 40 years and 23 years of those you gave me the privilege to be prime minister Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
“What more can any human being ask? How could I ever feel that I have been treated anything but special?” he said, adding that the trust given to him had been the foundation “of every achievement around which my public life has been built”.
He recalled that in the last election he had asked voters for “one for the road but I felt it was necessary to make way”.
“I have seen leadership in this country go on for so long to the point that they are not even able to physically walk…and I said that will not happen to me and I was confident that I had to make the decision,” he said, adding, “I am making good on my promise”.
Mitchell, the longest-serving prime minister in Grenadian history, has been a dominant figure in national affairs for decades. He has led the NNP to consecutive clean sweeps of all 15 seats in Parliament between 2013 and 2018, but lost the June 23, 2022 general election to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party by a nine-to-six margin.
Joseph is a seasoned diplomat and senior public administrator and NNP officials say his nomination signals both continuity and change, a bridge between established political structures and an emerging public figure ready to step onto the national stage.
