Grenada MP Launches First-Rate Movement
Independent MP Dr. Clarice David has announced plans to launch a new political movement in Grenada, calling it a 'first-rate movement' rather than a conventional party. The move follows his resignation from the New National Party and comes amid regional debate over US requests to position military assets on Caribbean soil.
Clarice David announced plans to launch what he called a "first-rate movement" in a live-streamed national address late Wednesday, setting a public launch at the Grenada Trade Center in Grand Anse. "We are careful not to say the people are launching a party — because this is too limiting.
It’s a first-rate movement inspired by dreams and determination; by prayer and purpose," David said in the address. He framed the initiative as a grassroots effort to restore dignity and protect national sovereignty. David resigned from the New National Party (NNP) in January after what he and supporters described as a rigged party convention the month before.
Widely regarded as one of Grenada’s most effective foreign ministers, David served under both Prime Ministers Tillman J. He is credited with helping to revive Grenada’s foreign service and expanding ties with countries in the Global South and Africa. Regional observers have watched David closely in recent weeks because he has been one of the only Grenadian parliamentarians to publicly address reported US requests to install military assets on the island.
While other political leaders have been largely silent, David urged protection of Grenada’s sovereignty and appeared to reference the matter in his address: "A people who do not just say no — to anyone, even the powerful — in ensuring that their dignity remains intact and their national sovereignty protected." The MP was barred from making a personal statement during a controversial aborted parliamentary session earlier this week, despite parliamentary rules that allow such remarks.
David told supporters that there is "no adjournment on which we cannot speak; no statement we shall make that could be postponed," a clear reference to being denied the floor. A recent local poll cited by news outlets suggests a movement led by David could quickly become a significant force in Grenadian politics, with an NNP-aligned newspaper warning that he could hold the balance of power in a hung parliament and potentially position himself as a future prime minister.
For residents of the British Virgin Islands, developments in Grenada underscore broader regional themes: the importance of protecting small-state sovereignty, the potential political impact of external military requests, and how shifts in one island’s political landscape can affect diplomatic alignments and cooperation across the Eastern Caribbean.
The movement’s formal launch at Grand Anse will be watched closely by regional partners and political observers. (Reporting based on Virgin Islands News Online coverage.)
Primary source: VINO