by Linda Straker
- Last NNP convention held in February 2022
- Emmalin Pierre and Peter David are candidates for party leadership
- Dr Mitchell yet to publicly confirm he will not contest party leadership
The New National Party (NNP) is set to have new leadership on 15 December 2024, the date set for the party’s convention, which is overdue by almost 2 years. The last convention was held in February 2022.
“The Executive of the New National Party (NNP), on the recommendation of our leader, Dr the Rt Hon. Keith Mitchell, has officially set the date for the party’s convention. The convention will take place on Sunday, December 15th, 2024,” said a news release dated 18 November. The NNP lost the June 2022 General Election. At the ceremony in which Dr Keith Mitchell was sworn in as Opposition Leader in the Lower House of Parliament, he promised he would not contest the leadership position at its upcoming convention. Dr Mitchell has been leading the party since 1989.
In recent party meetings, Dr Mitchell told supporters when he gives up the leadership of the NNP there will be someone or people in place who care about strengthening the party and who also care about the development of the country. He declared that he would be holding their hands during the process.
Addressing a Women’s Forum as part of the activities to commemorate the party’s 40th anniversary, he said that the political organisation will be undergoing new leadership shortly. “I am interested in my welfare, I am interested in this party’s welfare, and I am interested in the country. Therefore, one day, maybe sooner rather than later, I have to give up leadership of this party. But let me say this to you: I will not just be giving up leadership; there will be in place someone or persons that cares for you and the people of this country.”
“And as the Lord gives me the strength, I want to be able to walk with that person, hold their hands and strengthen the New National Party,” Dr Mitchell’s supporters applauded his declaration with a standing ovation.
The election of a national executive will be among the main agenda items at the convention. To date, Emmalin Pierre, the party’s Public Relations Officer and Member of Parliament for St Andrew South-West; and Peter David, the party’s Assistant General Secretary and Member of Parliament for the constituency of the Town of St George, are known to be potential candidates for the leadership position.
The opposition leader has yet to confirm publicly that he will not contest the party’s leadership and recently said he was pleased with Emmalin Pierre’s political growth. Following her address at a zonal meeting in St Andrew on 8 October, Dr Mitchell told the meeting that he felt like a good parent that has watched his children grow up. “So, it looks like I could retire now, ah please,” he said as the audience continued a standing ovation for Pierre.
“I feel like a good parent who watched his children grow up and have reached the stage where he could go and sit down in a rocking chair and enjoy the fruits of his labour. This little man when he is turning over the baton, he is making no mistake about it because I have seen them all.”
He just gifted the NDC the next election.
After violating the NNP constitution, we are forced into a situation engineered by the former prime minister to choose between two candidates that the vast majority of party supporters are not in favor of, two candidates that he can control. mr horsford is very unpopular and liked by very few, Mrs pierre has the leadership skills of a kindergarten teacher.
his choices are based on his insecurities and his refusal to ceed control after his time has past.
15 nil to the NDC. four more years of nepotism, high grocery bills, exorbitant travel expenses and wasteful spending.
Biggest problem is that the alternative is Peter David, a rank opportunist and radical who was in bed with the Coard faction in 83 and whose only seeming goal is power jumping from party to party. He’s also totally unfit to lead Grenada’s supposed conservative party.