by Linda Straker
- Only NNP and NDC were able to present 15 candidates – one for each constituency
- Of other parties, one was unable to gather the required numbers of voters for the registration form, one was unable to get candidates, and the third would not contest due to religious observance
Tuesday’s nomination day for candidates seeking to contest the upcoming 13 March General Election, marks the halting of some politician’s political careers, while for others it represented a step closer to becoming a member of the House of Representatives.
Nomination Day is the day when all persons wanting to be elected to represent a constituency in the House of Representatives present themselves along with all relevant documentation and payment of EC$300 to the various returning officers.
By the end of the nomination period, only the ruling New National Party led by Dr Keith Mitchell, and the main opposition National Democratic Congress led by Nazim Burke, were able to present 15 candidates – one for each constituency.
For the first time since the 1984 general election, the minority Good Ole Democracy (GOD) will not be contesting because its single candidate was unable to gather the 6 registered voters to sign his nomination form.
“That is not the end of me and my political career, because Grenadians would still like to see me as prime minister of this country,” said Justin ‘Crow’ McBurnie leader of the GOD. He was only able to gather 3 registered voters to sign his nomination form.
The newly formed minority Grenada Christian Political Party, led by Derick Sealey, announced on Tuesday that it would also not contest the 13 March election because the party was not able to get candidates for the 15 constituencies. Sealey then announced that his party would be calling on the voting population to boycott the elections.
Independent candidate Clint John who was campaigning to represent the constituency of Carriacou and Petite Martinique announced on Monday that he was would not be contesting because the election is occurring during the Lenten period. “I am Catholic and we are in Lent, and I spoke and listened to my family,” he said.
In the lead up to the general election, 18 political parties along with independent candidates attended awareness sessions with the Parliamentary Elections Office.
