Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has confirmed that his administration does not intend to introduce constitutional changes to impose term limits on the head of state or government.
Responding to questions on his weekly social media programme, DM with the PM, Mitchell said, “At this stage there are no plans to change the constitution to introduce that.”
The programme, which invites followers to submit questions live or in advance, provided Mitchell the opportunity to address public concerns directly.
While Mitchell personally supports term limits, he pointed out that previous attempts to introduce such changes were rejected by Grenadian voters. In a 2016 referendum, the population voted against seven bills proposing constitutional amendments—including term limits for the prime minister and governor general. A follow-up referendum in 2017, aiming to make the Caribbean Court of Justice Grenada’s final appellate court, also failed.
“Currently no, Grenada had two referenda on those issues, the population voted no when the matter was brought up, so at this stage our administration does not plan to introduce term limits,” Mitchell said.
He added, “Personally, I am in favour of term limits. I think it’s healthy to have change at the top of the leadership that is time-bound and predictable, allowing others the ambition to reach that position. Each generation deserves leadership that reflects it.”
Grenada gained political independence from Britain on February 7, 1974, becoming the first of the six West Indies Associated States to do so, ending its status as an associated state within the British Commonwealth.
