Grenada welcomes new political party: Democratic People’s Movement launched

Grenada now has a new political party following the official launch of the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) on Sunday night near St. George’s.

Former Foreign Minister Peter David was unveiled as the party’s leader during a packed event at the Grenada Trade Center, with hundreds more attending outside, including diplomats, trade union leaders, independent senators, and former New National Party (NNP) executives.

“This is no longer an idea — it is real, it is alive, it is yours,” David told supporters. “Together we move — from division to unity. Together we move — from promises to action. Together we move — from stagnation to progress.”

David, who has served in various cabinet posts including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, and Agriculture and Labour, resigned from the NNP and became an independent MP in January 2025 following a controversial leadership race. He emphasized that the DPM is rooted in grassroots organizing and seeks to break from “politics as usual,” focusing on unity, transparency, and policies over personalities.

The party’s launch highlighted three core commitments under its Progressive Agenda for Empowerment (PAE):

• Work that pays and stays: Initiatives include down-payment grants for first-time homebuyers under 35, a National Human Resource Reset to align skills and opportunities, and streamlining regulatory processes for small businesses.

• Food that feeds us: Policies will focus on agricultural revitalization, support for farmers and fisherfolk, guaranteed pricing for staples, subsidized climate-smart irrigation, and local processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.

• Healthcare that reaches you: The movement prioritizes accessible, compassionate healthcare, increased support for frontline workers, investments in facilities and equipment, and the introduction of a National Wellness Agenda.

David framed the movement as a response to decades of entrenched politics, asserting that Grenada’s citizens are “the architects of a nation’s destiny” and calling for a generation empowered to shape its future. “We are building a movement that upholds dignity and transparency… This movement belongs to you. You own it, and you will shape it,” he said.

He stressed the need for economic resilience, particularly in the context of global challenges affecting small island states. “We cannot trade our dignity, believing that it is for survival. Without dignity, there is no survival,” David said, linking foreign policy, economic strategy, and national self-reliance.

The DPM’s launch signals a new chapter in Grenadian politics, aimed at empowering youth, workers, and small businesses, while promoting unity and long-term national development. David concluded his speech urging citizens to join the movement and participate actively: “First, we question. Then, we organise. Finally, we move forward, together. Let’s get to work.”