标签： Grenada

In a press briefing held Wednesday, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell emphasized his urgent call for global diplomatic engagement to de-escalate rising international tensions, including the ongoing violent conflict in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Reaffirming his administration’s unwavering commitment to dialogue over confrontation, Mitchell noted that a broad consensus among nations already favors diplomatic pathways to conflict resolution. He expressed hope that intensified diplomatic efforts will reverse the current trend of escalating hostilities and harsh rhetoric, reframing global conflict resolution around sustained dialogue rather than armed conflict.

Beyond his remarks on global affairs, Mitchell drew a clear connection between widespread international instability and Grenada’s domestic development priorities, highlighting that ongoing conflicts around the world have created tangible headwinds for the small island nation. For Grenada, advancing critical infrastructure upgrades remains a top national priority, Mitchell explained, noting that functional transportation networks—including safe roads and bridges—are foundational to protecting residents’ basic right to mobility and keeping the national economy from grinding to a standstill. In response to growing global uncertainty, his administration maintains constant surveillance of international risks that could threaten Grenada’s development, social cohesion, and long-term economic and social stability.

Mitchell, who was sworn in as Grenada’s ninth Prime Minister in June 2022 after leading his National Democratic Congress to a 9-6 electoral victory over the incumbent New National Party, outlined the string of unprecedented challenges his government has navigated since taking office. “As an administration, you could probably say everything that could happen to an administration in the last three and a half years has happened,” Mitchell told reporters. In addition to mounting global conflicts, the government has overseen the nation’s post-Covid-19 pandemic recovery, responded to devastating hurricane seasons, and navigated shifting geopolitical tensions, trade tariffs, and international trade embargoes. Mitchell acknowledged that small island developing states like Grenada have no direct control over global systemic stability, and current trends suggest the world will face greater instability rather than calm in coming years. For that reason, continuous monitoring of global risks remains a core administrative priority.

To build domestic resilience against external shocks, Mitchell outlined three core policy pillars his administration has already implemented. First, the government has enshrined strict fiscal prudence and responsibility in binding national legislation, requiring adherence to a structured fiscal framework that mandates emergency savings for unforeseen crises, ranging from natural disasters to sudden economic shocks. The government has also mitigated risk through comprehensive catastrophic risk insurance, a critical safeguard for a hurricane-prone small island nation.

Second, the administration has prioritized improving tax collection efficiency through digital modernization. Simple upgrades, such as launching user-friendly online tax payment platforms, have already delivered significant gains in collection rates, Mitchell reported. The government will continue expanding these modernization efforts to broaden the national tax base and refine the country’s tax model to support long-term revenue stability.

Third, Mitchell noted that Grenada’s long-running Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, which grants citizenship to foreign investors in exchange for large-scale investments in the country’s socio-economic development, remains a key pillar of the national revenue base.

Addressing ongoing domestic cost challenges, Mitchell identified rising global fuel prices as a major immediate concern. The government currently provides targeted subsidies for consumer fuel and residential electricity costs, but Mitchell cautioned that imprudent broad-based subsidy expansion would divert limited resources from the country’s critical ongoing infrastructure projects. “We have to be very prudent in not jumping to subsidise things simply because there’s an increase in price, because in doing so it means there’s less revenue for the infrastructure work that we require and that is ongoing,” he explained. The administration will continue monitoring global energy market trends to adjust policy accordingly.

Despite the array of global and domestic challenges, Mitchell closed his remarks on a measured optimistic note, reaffirming his confidence in Grenada’s ability to navigate ongoing volatility notwithstanding ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

In a recent post-Cabinet briefing, Grenada’s Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Dickon Mitchell delivered a comprehensive update on the country’s ongoing national infrastructure initiatives, laying out clear completion timelines for major projects, addressing unforeseen challenges that have caused delays, and outlining new governance measures to boost public transparency and engagement.

Among the most advanced projects is the long-delayed Cliff Road rehabilitation, which Mitchell confirmed is on track to hit a critical milestone by the end of April. According to Mitchell, the route will be open for motor vehicle traffic by the end of this month, with all ancillary surrounding works scheduled for full completion by the end of May, with visible construction progress already evident at the site. For the Clozier region, where a major landslip upended original project plans, full redesign work has been finalized, and contractor negotiations launched in March, with construction set to resume within just a few weeks.

Another key road project, the Willis Road rehabilitation, was previously stalled due to contractor issues and unanticipated setbacks, but has now restarted. The contract has been awarded to Construction and Industrial Equipment Limited, commonly known as Rayneau, and work is already proceeding, with a full completion target set for the end of 2026. Outside of transportation infrastructure, the flagship Simon Cultural Centre public facility project remains on schedule for completion by June 2026.

Mitchell also drew attention to urgent coastal erosion risks in St Patrick parish, particularly in the Mount Rodney area. While the full Sauteurs Coastal Protection Project is still awaiting final approvals, the government has moved forward with interim protection measures. “We recognise that because of the damage being done to the coastline in St Patrick… we can’t wait on the main breakwater project itself,” Mitchell explained, confirming that a contractor has already been mobilized to begin protective works for Mount Rodney residents.

Looking ahead to upcoming projects, Mitchell confirmed that St John’s River Road rehabilitation is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026, though he acknowledged long-standing capacity constraints in Grenada’s infrastructure sector. Until recently, the country only had one local contractor capable of completing large-scale asphalt paving works. To address this gap, the government has adopted a new segmented delivery model: smaller local contractors will handle civil works, while larger specialist firms manage asphalt paving across multi-segment projects running from Perdmontemps to Vincennes. The government will also implement upgraded road standards, including the application of durable plastic pavement markings.

Design work for the Woolwich Road project is fully complete, and bid invitations have already been issued. Mitchell encouraged greater participation from local contractors, noting that all government tender opportunities, including requests for proposals, expressions of interest, and bid invitations, are publicly posted on the central procurement unit’s website. He also urged smaller local firms to form joint ventures to boost their competitiveness for large contracts.

Multiple large road packages are being advanced under a new finance-design-build model, where contractors cover upfront project costs before receiving incremental reimbursement from the government after work milestones are completed. These projects include routes from Cliff Junction to the Maurice Bishop Highway, the Mabuya landslip area to Mt Kumar, and additional corridors across St David and St George parishes. Multiple bridge projects, including the replacement of the Marquis Bridge, are scheduled to launch by mid-2026, after a temporary bypass route is installed.

Beyond transportation and cultural infrastructure, upgrades to public safety facilities are also underway across the country. Mitchell announced that the full demolition of the current Grenville police station is targeted for June 2026, while construction work on the new Union Police Station will begin this month. In the education sector, multiple school rehabilitation projects are progressing on schedule, with the Grenadian Christian Academy set to reopen in time for the 2026 September school year.

To close the briefing, Mitchell reaffirmed the government’s commitment to greater transparency and public engagement around infrastructure delivery. “We are committed to being as transparent as we can and to updating the public on what is taking place,” he said. As part of this commitment, the government will expand the Ministry of Infrastructure’s official website to add dedicated sections for procurement notices, real-time project updates, and a new public complaints system to address community concerns more efficiently.

On March 27, 2026, the Government of Grenada formalized a new strategic partnership by signing a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with CAF – the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, marking a key step toward advancing the island nation’s national sustainable development goals through targeted international collaboration.

The official signing ceremony saw Honourable Dennis Cornwall, Grenada’s Minister for Finance, sign the document on behalf of the Grenadian government, while Dr. Stacy Richards-Kennedy, CAF’s Regional Manager for the Caribbean, represented the regional development bank. Under the terms of the agreement, Grenada’s Ministry of Finance has been named the central coordinating body for all future joint activities between the two parties. While the LOI carries no binding legal obligations, it creates a formal, structured foundation for advancing shared projects, technical assistance programs, and other collaborative efforts aligned with both parties’ priorities.

Two core priority areas for future partnership have already been outlined in the agreement. First, the parties aim to boost institutional capacity and improve public service delivery across Grenada’s entire health sector. Second, the agreement paves the way for the development and potential future financing of a nationwide telehealth initiative designed to expand healthcare access and connectivity across all three of Grenada’s constituent islands: Grenada itself, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique.

In remarks following the signing, Minister Cornwall emphasized his confidence that the new partnership will deliver mutual benefits and make a substantial contribution to Grenada’s long-term sustainable development targets. “Through this engagement, we are laying the groundwork for enhanced collaboration in key priority areas, particularly institutional strengthening and the advancement of digital integration within our health sector,” Cornwall explained. “These are critical pillars as we work to modernize our systems, improve service delivery, and ensure that all Grenadians — across Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique — can benefit from more accessible and resilient healthcare.”

Dr. Richards-Kennedy echoed this optimism, noting that CAF views the new agreement as an important milestone in supporting Grenada’s national development vision. “Telehealth has the potential to fundamentally transform healthcare in Grenada and the wider Caribbean, by expanding access, improving quality and enhancing efficiency across the health system,” she said. “CAF stands ready to share our expertise and lessons learnt as we work with the authorities and beneficiaries to co-create a tailored programme that will deliver quality services quickly and reach communities across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.”

The LOI aligns with the Grenadian government’s broader strategy of diversifying its international development partnerships and leveraging cross-border cooperation to address high-priority national needs, with a particular focus on strengthening health system resilience and expanding digital innovation across key public sectors.