Reprinted: Loop Caribbean News, 2-12-2024
A healthier nation with well educated, productive and industrious citizens is what Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has in his plans to develop the Spice Isle over the next 25 years.
The development plan, which is dubbed “Vision 75” was unveiled on February 5, two days before Grenada celebrated its Golden Independence Jubilee.
He told the packed audience that gathered to listen to his speech that “Vision 75” is a continuation of the 2035 National Sustainable Development Plan which was drafted by Grenadians under the previous administration of Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell.
The development plan suffered setbacks due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the 2022 General Election, which brought the current government into power.
The prime minister noted the 2035 National Sustainable Development Plan was a good policy that represented the views of Grenadians and should not be sidelined due to petty politics.
Grenada’s development over the next quarter century will be streamlined under the pillars of Health, Education, Agriculture, Energy Security and Society.
In the area of health, Mitchell lamented that islanders have become heavily impacted by lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension and it is attributed to what they eat daily.
“A significant portion of Grenada’s health challenges has nothing to do with the actual physical infrastructure in Grenada but it has to do with our lifestyles,” Mitchell said as he highlighted the prevalence of islanders eating roadside BBQ/fried food, which has imported chicken as the main source of protein.
According to the prime minister, research has shown that these chicken parts can be months old before the make their way onto the plates of Grenadians.
The billion-dollar Medical Tourism industry is something that Mitchell wants to tap into as he noted Grenada has the elements that makes it the perfect place for people to have medical procedures and recover in paradise.
The government plans to build a teaching hospital in Calivigny to train more doctors and support the medical tourism industry.
Access to healthy and affordable food will be key to the prime minister’s quest for a prosperous nation.
Mitchell said his government will support efforts in the agriculture sector to improve food production as well as agro-processing to add greater value to products produced by local farmers.
One such initiative is a proposed ban on the export of raw nutmeg.
“We produce hands down the finest nutmegs. But after 100 years, we still export our raw nutmegs. And it begs the question does exporting our raw nutmeg create one single additional job in Grenada? The answer is no,” he said.
The prime minister said he proposed that the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA) bulk purchase local nutmegs so the products will be available for agro-processors to make products such as nutmeg oil and medicine.
Mitchell stated his government will support GCNA to receive funding to buy the nutmegs.
Mitchell lamented that Grenada’s youth aren’t seeing agriculture as a viable career. He said programs will be implemented to encourage young people to get into farming.
Mitchell said the island, which has a population of over 115,000 people, has the potential to achieve many impeccable feats over the next 25 years.