PR – The Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) is about to host another major internal event — the inaugural Congress — of the organization, which has witnessed increased membership and a rapid rise in support in the four months since its formal launch.
The first DPM Congress will be held on Sunday, March 22, at the Grenada Trade Centre in Morne Rouge.
“This will be an annual event and our Congress will be one of the highest decision-making bodies of The Movement,’’ said DPM’s Peter David, who also is MP for the Town of St George.
“On the agenda for the Congress of March 22 are the introduction and formal ratification of parliamentary candidates, who will represent the DPM in the upcoming general elections.’’
The Congress, the second milestone event of DPM, follows last November’s official launch, which also was held at the Trade Centre and attracted an audience that observers described as the largest non-government political gathering in recent years.
“We are about ideas, policies and action. We are here to elevate politics above acrimony, to place issues over personalities, and to build a framework for governance that is transparent, accountable, and rooted in service,’’ David said in the keynote address at DPM’s formal launch.
At the morning session of the Congress, accredited DPM delegates will nominate and vote on a full slate of Movement executive officers, including political leader.
Election also will be held for other executive positions such as deputy leader, chairman, general secretary and treasurer.
“The morning of the Congress is a working session in which delegates will be focused on the task of shaping The Movement’s future and ratifying the DPM Constitution,’’ said Alister Bain, who will be seeking a position on the executive of the organization.
“This foundational document, the Constitution, outlines the party’s guiding principles, decision-making processes, and organizational structure.’’
DPM’s private morning session will be followed by an afternoon session, where ratified candidates and adopted resolutions will be presented to the nation.
At the afternoon session, which is open to the public — including media — a partial slate of election candidates, spanning constituencies from Carriacou to St. Patrick, is expected to be unveiled.
“This all-important Congress of DPM is not a political rally but a working meeting divided into two segments,’’ David emphasized.
Since its founding, the DPM has positioned itself as a people-driven alternative to traditional politics. Throughout the past year, the movement has conducted nationwide consultations and listening sessions in various communities including Carriacou, where officials visited last Saturday, February 28.
Feedback from every session and consultation directly informed several major policy proposals of the DPM.
Among them is DPM’s Housing Empowerment Program, offering grants of $35,000 to $50,000 to help Grenadians under 35 years of age acquire their first homes.
The housing initiative is part of the DPM’s wider Progressive Agenda for Empowerment, aimed at ensuring “Work That Pays and Stays,” “Food That Feeds Us,” and “Healthcare That Reaches You.”
Complementing domestic policy innovation is the creation of a Diaspora Economic Council, a platform designed to link Grenadian professionals and investors in New York, Canada, and the United Kingdom with local opportunities in renewable energy, tourism, technology, and agriculture.
In the aftermath of its formal launch, The Movement has gained momentum across parishes and within the Diaspora, attracting supporters from both the New National Party and the National Democratic Congress.
Representatives of DPM have completed successful outreach visits to New York and Toronto, with plans underway for a London visit in the coming weeks.
The Congress will be followed by a series of ongoing activities, including launching DPM constituency candidate campaigns across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
The March 22 Congress of The Movement begins at 6:30 p.m.
Further information is available by emailing: themovementpr473@gmail.com
