Grenada’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister Keith Mitchell Retires from Politics

Grenada’s longest-serving prime minister, Keith Mitchell, has retired from politics after a career spanning over four decades. The 79-year-old former leader announced his departure on Thursday, naming senior administrator Adrian Joseph as his successor for the St George North West constituency, which Mitchell held since 1984.

Mitchell served as prime minister for a combined 23 years and led his New National Party (NNP) to consecutive clean-sweep victories in 2013 and 2018. His tenure ended after the NNP lost the 2022 general election to the rival National Democratic Congress.

In a farewell address, Mitchell stated it was time to make good on a promise to step down before his physical capacity declined. “I have seen leadership in this country go on for so long to the point that they are not even able to physically walk,” he told supporters. “That will not happen to me.”

His designated successor, Adrian Joseph, is a veteran diplomat seen as providing continuity for the NNP. Mitchell’s retirement closes a defining chapter in modern Grenadian politics, marking the exit of its most dominant electoral figure.