ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Sept 7, CMC – The main opposition New National Party (NNP) Monday said it would boycott Tuesday’s joint sitting of Parliament where the Hydrocarbons Technical Working Group will present its report to legislators.
A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister urged “members of the public…to attend and hear firsthand the findings being presented to Parliament””.
But speaking at a news conference here, NNP and Opposition Leader Emmalin Pierre, told reporters that the NNP wanted to “make it abundantly clear that its members who are representing us in the Houses of Parliament … have serious concerns about the special joint sitting of Parliament, which is scheduled for tomorrow, September 8, 2026”.
She said the opposition legislators would not attend the ”sitting under the current arrangements.
“We understand also that several individuals with great knowledge and experience in parliamentary procedures have also advised the government and the Parliament accordingly. “We have absolutely no problem with the government updating Parliament on oil and gas exploration, but this matter must not be handled through a process that misuses Parliament and departs from proper parliamentary procedures and practises,” Pierre told reporters.
The NNP said it has no objection to the government updating Parliament on oil and gas exploration, but strongly objected to inviting the Technical Working Group to present directly to Parliament instead of first formally laying its report before the House.
“A technical briefing by the group can be accommodated at another appropriate venue,” Pierre said, adding ““we will not be used to give legitimacy to a process that is illegal”.
Former foreign affairs minister Peter David, in a letter to the Speaker, Leo Cato expressed his “grave concern over the convocation of a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament” saying “it is my considered opinion and that of respected authorities on parliamentary practice that this is highly irregular and seriously departs from settled, established parliamentary practice.
“This Technical Working Group is neither a Joint Select Committee of the Houses nor an appointed committee by the Houses. It is therefore irregular to invite such a committee to address the House of Representatives.”
David, who heads the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM), said the established procedure requires that reports from a body extant and outside of the House of Representatives are first tabled by a member of the House with Ministerial responsibilities accordingly.
“ When a report is so tabled, each member of the House has an early opportunity to examine the report,” he said, adding “it is therefore highly improper to convene a sitting of the House of Representatives to receive a report from a Committee not of the House and a stranger to the House.
“I take this early opportunity to register my objections to the manner in which you have summoned the House of Representatives to sit. This correspondence shall be circulated to members of the House,”David wrote, adding “in the interests of preserving parliamentary practice and procedures. I’m available to meet with you at short notice anytime before the sitting of the House”.
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell had on September 26, 2023, named the Hydrocarbons Technical Working Group under the chairmanship of former finance minister Nazim Burke.
Among the objectives of the group is to fully assess Grenada’s hydrocarbon potential and, if found to be commercially viable, devise a strategy and action plan to explore, develop and monetize such findings for the benefit of the country.
The technical group will also be required to develop a communication strategy to engage stakeholders, including communities, civil society organizations, and the private sector as well as outline recommendations for potential partners and investors, including a plan to attract and retain them.
“A stakeholder engagement plan that outlines the approach, mechanisms and processes for engaging with relevant stakeholders throughout the exploration and development process,” is also included among the terms of reference of the technical working group.
Last month, the Grenada government reiterated its decision to terminate its production sharing agreement (PSA) with the Russian-backed Global Petroleum Group (GPG) with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell saying then that Burke had indicated that efforts to get GPG to sit down and discuss the issues surrounding the project had failed due to the fact that the oil and gas company had said it would only speak to the relevant government minister.
He said that under the agreement the company was supposed to have drilled two wells by 2017 and that the government had attempted to discuss, to settle, and to agree to move forward first, “but we are not going to wait another 18 years.
In 2008, the government provided GPG with a licence over 11 offshore blocks to explore for oil and gas and five years later, the company was granted a development licence and signed a production sharing agreement.
Mitchell said that the development licence and production sharing agreement provided the legal permission and the guidelines to actually bring that oil and gas out of Grenadian waters and to share the proceeds with the country.
“Since 2023, that technical working group has engaged directly with GPG. We requested the updated development plans and the technical documentation necessary to assess whether this project could ever deliver for our country.
“We extended every reasonable opportunity. Grenada notified GPG both formally of every breach of the agreement …we gave them the opportunity to respond in writing and in person. GPG has failed to remedy those breaches,” Prime Minister Mitchell said.
CMC/fh/or/2026