Eyes on end of January for Grenada election announcement

Last updated: 9 January 2018, 3:37 pm

The prime minister of Grenada has come the closest yet to announcing the date of the country’s general election, teasing a “big announcement” to be revealed on 28 January.

Speaking at a rally on Sunday night in St John, New National Party leader Keith Mitchell said it was “no secret” that Governor-General Dame Cécile LaGrenade would soon dissolve parliament.

After a series of meetings to introduce his party’s candidates, the final batch of candidates to be endorsed – including himself – will set the stage for a an announcement.

“We going Beausejour and I will most likely have a big announcement when we get to Beausejour,” he told the crowd, according to CBC reports.

Across the island in St Patrick, the leader of the main opposition National Democratic Congress told supports that the 2018 vote was a judgement of Mitchell’s legacy.

“We can tell you with absolute certainty that within the next 21 days the announcement will be called, it will be the single most important decision in your lifetime,” Nazim Burke said.

Health rumours

A general election is due by the middle of the year, according to the constitution.

In recent days, supporters of the prime minister’s party have taken to social media to hit back at rumours that the Mitchell was unwell.

Well known NNP follower Sheldon Scott wrote on Facebook that the prime minister was “more than okay and more healthy [sic] than lots of them making the claim.”

And Mitchell laid down a challenge to Burke in an effort to prove his health, with Now Grenada reporting that the NNP leader wants to face the NDC chief in a 100-yard sprint.