by Linda Straker
- Grenada Constitution provides PM power to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections at any time
- PM said voting elects a government and by virtue of that, that government is going to impact the country by the policy it pursues
- Next general elections constitutionally due no later than October 2027
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has said that people who don’t vote are giving up an opportunity to influence the policy decisions of the government that will administer the affairs of the country following a general election.
“I want to say to people who sometimes say they don’t vote, or they don’t want to vote, I say to them, you know that voting actually elects a government and by virtue of that, that government is going to impact the country by the policy it pursues,” he said during an interview on “HeartBeat” a weekly Sunday talk show of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), to celebrate the party’s third anniversary in office.
“Therefore, if you want to have the ability to influence the policy, to have an influence as to who sits in office and the process until it changes, to do so is through election,” he said.
“So, elections play a critical role. Your vote, your right to determine, your right of choice is something we should never take for granted and not exercising that in my view is taking it for granted. We have to remember that men and women fought and died for preserving that right we have today,” said Mitchell, who became NDC’s political leader 9 months before the party won the general election.
Reflecting on the historical struggles of universal suffrage, he said, “and in the case of women, that right was not even recognised until not so long ago.” He reminded voters that it is always important for them to continue to participate in democratic and parliamentary processes.
Grenada’s next general elections are constitutionally due no later than October 2027. However, Emmalin Pierre, political leader of the main opposition New National Party (NNP), believes it will be called before the scheduled time.
The Grenada Constitution provides the Prime Minister with the power to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections at any time.
