Grenada’s first-ever elected national youth parliamentarians to take oath on February 26

The swearing-in ceremony of Grenada’s first-ever elected National Youth parliamentarians will take place on February 26, 2025, creating a milestone in the Caribbean nation’s political history. Fourteen youth leaders will take oath during the event which will take place at the Grenada Houses of Parliament Building at Mt. Wheldale starting at 10 am. 

The youth parliamentarians were elected in the national youth elections held on December 5, 2024, and will represent the young people in their respective constituencies on the national level. The representatives will receive their assigned parliamentary portfolios on the day of the swearing-in and present their maiden speech as youth parliamentarians. 

The 14 youth parliamentarians and their constituencies are: Joshua Andall (St. Andrew North West), Kerri-Ann Marrast (St. Andrew North East), Amanda Japal George (St. Andrew South East), Kamran St. Cyr (St. Andrew South West), Tariq Miller (St. David), Akim Williams (St. George North East), Jonathan Mitchell (St. George South), Vernique Lewis (St. George South East), Angela Bowen (St. George North West), Sashanna Mcvean (St. John), Akim Phillip (St. Mark), Shanida Shade (St. Patrick East), Sean Williams (St. Patrick West), and Ramiah Griffith (Town of St. George). 

Andall is the prime minister-elect of youth parliamentarians. He is also Grenada’s Youth Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). 

The event will be live-streamed on @gisgrenada and the Grenadian Ministry of Youth and Sports’s social media pages. 

National youth election

In December, the ministry congratulated the 14 elected youth leaders who will serve for two years. The national youth election was an initiative of the National Youth Parliament Programme, which is a step to amplify youth voices and enhance leadership opportunities for the youth. The application for the programme was completed in April last year. 

The journey to the National Youth Parliament saw selection of Parish Youth Parliamentarians who were identified by a panel of judges to campaign for seats at the national level. The selected candidates then ran extensive campaigns along with their opponents, reaching out to communities, connecting with the people over radio and other media, canvassing support, taking part in passionate debates and spearheading community development initiatives. 

On December 5, more than 1,000 registered voters cast their ballots through an online platform to select the candidates they deemed best to represent their constituencies. The election saw the first elected cohort of National Youth Parliamentarians who will advocate on behalf of the communities and make active contributions to local development.

Each of the parliamentarians will also receive a $5,000 community support grant to implement key projects in their constituencies. The ministry will also provide them with mentorship opportunities and continuous training through workshops to help them realize their leadership potential. 

The pilot project also underscores the ministry’s commitment to youth leadership and advocacy, something that Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has stressed throughout. Experiences gained from the current initiative will help the government to make improvements for the next national youth election in two years.

When PM Mitchell met the prime minister-elect of youth parliamentarians

Towards the end of December, PM Mitchell met Andall and received T-shirts signed by the elected youth parliamentarians and other youth leaders of Grenada. Andall, who recently moderated the prime minister’s fireside chat with Nigerian business leader Aliko Dangote ahead of Grenada’s Independence Day celebrations, thanked Mitchell and the PM’s office for giving a positive shape to the youths’ future. 

The prime minister told him that it is the youth of Grenada who are the actual game changers. 

“Wherever you are, whatever you do now, holds the power to shape the Grenada we aspire to see. The future of our music, our food, our culture, and our very identity lies in the leadership you demonstrate today,” the PM told Andall.