Former Grenada foreign minister Peter David Sunday night launched the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) at a time of profound global change which he said ‘is shifting in ways that directly affect our survival as small island states.
‘Grenada must build a diplomacy that serves our development: creating partnerships that empower our people, attract sustainable investment, and strengthen resilience,’ said David, adding that the DPM is determined to make history ‘fueled by dreams of a greater tomorrow; shaped by a character formed by the bruises and the missteps of a yesterday that was not a long time ago’.
David said Grenada, like all other countries, has to come to the realisation that the familiar paths no longer serve the collective good. ‘When politics becomes a game of personalities and power, the people, the true architects of a nation’s destiny, are left on the margins. Grenada now faces such a moment.
‘I stand before you tonight humbled. I stand hopeful. I have travelled all through this country these past few months, not just to speak, but to listen, the many stories echo in my head.
I heard the voices of mothers and fathers worried about their children’s future, the dreams of businessmen and businesswomen struggling against the tide. What I heard was the frustration with politics as usual.’
David said that this movement has been nurtured in grassroots Grenada, organized on street corners and under traffic lights.
‘It has been forged by the fire of shared hope and the undeniable realization that our country needs to be whole again. Our children and grandchildren deserve a future worthy of the lessons of the past and the hopes and opportunities of the present.
‘We are all here tonight bearing witness for a cause worth fighting, united by our love for this country and our belief in its possibilities. Whatever the questions we will face, the answers will always come back to you.
‘For decades, many of us have tried to change this country, by first changing the organizations we have joined. And as we have found out the hard way, there has been an entrenched political class that puts up resistance,’ said David, who has held executive positions within the two main political parties here.
He told the launch that the DPM is not just jis story but ‘the Grenadian story’ and that ‘Grenada, tonight, we are off and running again.
‘But this time in our own shoes. We shall dance to our own beat; and sing a song of hope.
As we move forward, let’s stand here tonight unapologetic; and let’s move forward unbowed.’
He said that the Democratic People’s Movement is built on a simple, profound philosophy that the strength of a nation lies not in the power of a few, but in the participation of all.
‘We are not about leaders or parties. We are about ideas, policies, and action. We are here to elevate politics above acrimony, to place issues over personalities, and to build a framework for governance that is transparent, accountable, and rooted in service.’
He said in the coming weeks ahead the DPM will unveil the ‘Progressive Agenda for Empowerment, that shall simply be known as PAE’.
‘Under the PAE programme, every young person in Grenada under the age of 35, seeking to acquire their first home, shall be granted a down-payment grant. Thirty-five thousand dollars for a single person. Fifty thousand dollars for a married couple.’
David said that for too long, the potential of Grenada’s small businesses has been stifled by an outdated and burdensome regulatory environment.
‘We will streamline the processes involved in starting a business, cutting through unnecessary red tape and eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks that stifle innovation and job creation.
‘We will overhaul the ease of doing business in Grenada by improving access to capital, simplifying registration procedures, and ensuring that our small businesses have the resources they need to thrive.’
He said the country cannot win the fight against the cost of living unless it wins the fight for national food security.
‘We must empower our farmers and fisherfolk, making the commitment to agricultural revitalization a national priority, not a political afterthought.
‘We will promote a comprehensive plan for modernization and market access. This includes guaranteed market pricing for local staples, subsidized climate-smart irrigation and technology, and local processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses. Our goal is to cut our food import bill while stabilizing domestic prices.’
He said also that the party’s foreign policy and economic policy must be fused, saying we need an economic resilience policy to shield Grenadian families from imported inflation and trade volatility.
David said that the health sector would also form a significant aspect of the party’s policies going forward, saying ‘a great society is measured by how it cares for its most vulnerable. Healthcare is a fundamental right, and this Movement will deliver a system defined by compassion, accessibility, and dignity.
‘In improving our healthcare, through making more investments in healthcare workers, facilities and equipment, we must be careful not to develop a system where money will determine who lives and who dies.’
David reiterated that his newly launched DPM is ‘the modern embodiment of this unceasing struggle for unity’ and that it is ‘building a movement that upholds dignity and transparency’
‘Leaders of this Movement will not be fueled by their own ego, but by respect for the very people we wish to lead. Leaders of the Movement must inspire hope, forge unity. We will not be participants in striving to burn down this country so that some can inherit its ashes. It’s time for us to make policy for the people; not to make mawet with the people’.