ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Oct 19, CMC -The leader of the main opposition New National Party (NNP), Emmalin Pierre, says if elected to office on November 5, her administration intends to engage the United States directly on a number of issues affecting Grenadians.
“We are going to form a special delegation that I will lead to go to Washington to hold serious discussions with the government of the United States,” Pierre told supporters in St. Mark, a parish on the west coast of Grenada, on Sunday night.
Pierre said the delegation would include specialist advisers and build on relations established under previous NNP administrations.
Her statement comes amid controversy regarding the new policies imposed by Washington regarding the issuing of visas.
The United States made its B-1/B-2 tourist and business visa bond programme permanent on August 3, 2026, requiring refundable bonds of up to US$20,000 for citizens from four Caribbean countries, namely Grenada, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and Cuba.
The three Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have in place a citizenship by investment programme (CBI) that provides foreign nationals with citizenship in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of these countries.
Washington has in the past has severely criticised the CBI programme citing security risks, weak identity vetting, and the sale of citizenship without residency requirements.
Pierre told party supporters that travel barriers were undermining livelihoods, particularly among calypsonians and soca artistes who depend on overseas performances.
“The opportunities they had to go to New York and perform, they no longer can do that today,” she said, questioning how ordinary families could afford a US$20,000 deposit to visit relatives.
She said that the Dikon Mitchell government has failed to provide adequate public updates, adding “we must take action on your behalf. And that is what we are promising you that we will do”.
Pierre, the first woman to lead the NNP into a general election, also addressed supporters on a new housing initiative she has promised that the party would implement if elected to office in November.
She said that the party is examining four options to make Grenadians become homeowners, including those who have started off with one bedroom, but needs to expand as the family grows.
“Brothers and sisters, the New National Party will assist you. They will help you with house repair and expansion of the houses that you already have. Brothers and sisters, option two would be for some people who are very fortunate, maybe your mother would have left you a piece of land. Maybe your grandfather would have given you a piece of land…and it is sitting there idle and you cannot do anything with it.
“We are going to roll out programmes where in cases like that, we are going to work with you a model that you can afford through the Housing Authority so that we can build on your land.
“Brothers and sisters, option three would be where you don’t have land, but you’re in a position to afford the land and the house in such conditions. In other words, you can’t come up with everything that the commercial institutions are asking for. You cannot afford it.
“And so brothers and sisters, we are going to work with you and some of these initiatives I’m speaking about, they started before under the NNP and what we’re going to do is to expand them so that more people can benefit.”
She said that the fourth option is geared more at young people “who want to move on in life and you stuck, and that is where the range to own comes in, because what we are going to do, brothers and sisters, we are going to build a unit and we are going to say to you, no upfront cost is needed if you cannot afford it.
“Move in and pay what you can every month. We are going to work with you just as you are going to work with us,” she told supporters.
CMC/jh/iir/2026