by Roxanne Thompson

• 2027 budget is Mitchell’s immediate priority
• Local Government Bill to be advanced within 100 days
• Constituency plans to be incorporated into budgetary planning

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has identified the 2027 national budget and the introduction of local government as priorities for his administration’s second term.

Speaking at a press conference following his swearing-in on 8 November, Mitchell said the government intends to incorporate the development priorities outlined in the constituency manifestos into its budgetary planning. He also said local government would be advanced to give communities greater authority, power and resources to address their needs. Education, healthcare and infrastructure were among the other areas he identified for continued attention.

Mitchell said passing the 2027 budget was his immediate priority, with the government aiming to present it before the end of December, although he acknowledged that the process could extend into 2027. The Ministry of Finance has already published the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework for 2027–2029, which sets out the Government’s fiscal outlook and priorities over the period. The framework identifies areas for public investment, while the constituency manifestos set out projects and programmes proposed for communities across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Mitchell said the Government would need to adjust its budgeting approach to accommodate the constituency plans and local government. “We would have to ensure that we can align the budget, I think, from the traditional approach of budgeting — to make sure that we allocate sufficient resources to treat with the constituency manifestos and to treat with local government,” he said. He identified education, healthcare and infrastructure as other priorities.

On local government, Mitchell said the administration intends to move the Local Government Bill through Parliament within its first 100 days. He acknowledged that constitutional changes may or may not be necessary, but said legislation would be required to establish the institutional arrangements. Grenada has not had elected local government bodies since the dissolution of its district boards and St George’s City Council in 1969. The proposed legislation would establish the framework for local government, although the specific responsibilities and powers of the bodies, and how they would be funded, have yet to be set out publicly.

The constituency manifestos also include proposals for community participation and local decision-making. The Carriacou and Petite Martinique plan, for example, lists advancing the Local Government Bill, beginning the implementation process and establishing clearer communication between communities, local government structures and national agencies among its commitments for the first 100 days. The plans also identify projects across areas such as roads, drainage, health, education and community facilities, with some assigned specific timeframes. The government’s 2027 budget and its proposed legislation will set out the next steps for these commitments.

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