1961 Grenadian general election

Last updated

General elections were held in Grenada on 27 March 1961. [1] Eric Gairy's Grenada United Labour Party won eight of the ten seats, his wife Cynthia Gairy becoming the first woman to be elected to the legislature. George E.D. Clyne of GULP became Chief Minister and served from March to August 1961 when, following the direct intervention of the British government, Gairy's political ban was lifted early, and Clyne resigned allowing Gairy to return in a by-election and become Chief Minister. [2] Voter turnout was 55.5%. [3]

Contents

Background

Following the introduction of the new Constitution on 21 December 1959 real authority for governing the country was given to a Chief Minister and those from the majority party in the Legislative Council. Herbert Blaize was appointed the first Chief Minister from 1 January 1960 when the Legislative Council provisions took effect. [4] The Constitution stipulated that at the next election the Legislature would consist of ten elected members and two nominated members. The Queen was represented by an Administrator with reduced powers. Grenada's Administrator at this time was James Lloyd, a Jamaican. [5]

Gairy, the leader of GULP, had been banned from political activity for five years for disrupting an opponent's political meeting on 28 October 1957, by leading a steel band through it. He was not eligible to be a candidate in 1961. Administrator James Lloyd would not raise the ban early.

Results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Grenada United Labour Party 11,60653.358+6
Grenada National Party 5,80226.6720
People's Democratic Movement 3,37115.500–2
Independents 9754.480–2
Total21,754100.0010+2
Valid votes21,75495.43
Invalid/blank votes1,0414.57
Total votes22,795100.00
Registered voters/turnout41,08255.49
Source: Caribbean Elections

Related Research Articles

The history of islands of Grenada in the Caribbean, part of the Lesser Antilles group of islands, covers a period from the earliest human settlements to the establishment of the contemporary nationstate of Grenada.

The politics of Grenada takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, whereby the prime minister is the head of government. Grenada is an independent Commonwealth realm. It is governed under a multi-party parliamentary system whose political and legal traditions closely follow those of the United Kingdom; it has a prime minister and a cabinet, and a bicameral Parliament with an elected House of Representatives and an appointed Senate. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, motion, and association. Grenada is a member of the eastern Caribbean court system. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Jurisprudence is based on English common law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Mitchell</span> Prime Minister of Grenada (1995-2008, 2013-2022)

Keith Claudius Mitchell is a Grenadian politician who served as Prime Minister of Grenada from 1995 to 2008 and from 2013 to 2022. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Grenadian history, holding the office for more than 22 years. He is currently leader of the New National Party (NNP) and has been the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives of Grenada from 2008 to 2013, and again since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New National Party (Grenada)</span> Political party in Grenada

The New National Party (NNP), also known as NNP Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, is a conservative political party in Grenada. It is led by former Prime Minister, Keith Mitchell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Gairy</span> 20th-century Grenadian politician; 1st Prime Minister (1974–79)

Sir Eric Matthew Gairy PC was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from his country's independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979. Gairy also served as head of government in pre-independence Grenada as Chief Minister from 1961 to 1962, and as Premier from 1967 to 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Jewel Movement</span> Left-wing political party in Grenada from 1973–1983, ruled from 1979–1983

The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement (NJM), was a Marxist–Leninist communist party in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada that was led by Maurice Bishop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert Blaize</span> Grenadian politician

Herbert Augustus Blaize PC was a Grenadian politician and leader of the Grenada National Party. When Grenada was still a British Crown Colony he served as the first Chief Minister from 1960 to 1961, and again from 1962 to 1967. He became the first Premier of the autonomous Associated State of Grenada briefly in 1967. In the first elections following the 1983 coups and the American-led invasion of Grenada, he served as Prime Minister from 1984 until his death in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grenada</span> Country in the Caribbean

Grenada is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and several small islands which lie to the north of the main island and are a part of the Grenadines. It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its size is 348.5 square kilometres (134.6 sq mi), and it had an estimated population of 112,523 in July 2020. Its capital is St. George's. Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to its production of nutmeg and mace crops.

The Grenada National Party (GNP) was a conservative and economically liberal political party in Grenada that existed from 1955 to 1984, when it merged into the New National Party. It alternated in power with the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afro-Grenadians</span>

Afro-Grenadians or Black Grenadians are Grenadian people of largely African descent. This term is not generally recognised by Grenadians or indeed Caribbeans. They usually refer to themselves simply as Black or possibly Black Caribbean. The term was first coined by an African Americans history professor, John Henrik Clarke (1915–1998), in his piece entitled A Note on Racism in History. The term may also refer to a Grenadian of African ancestry. Social interpretations of race are mutable rather than deterministic and neither physical appearance nor ancestry are used straightforwardly to determine whether a person is considered a Black Grenadian. According to the 2012 Census, 82% of Grenada's population is Black, 13% is mixed European and black and 2% is of Indian origin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grenada United Labour Party</span> Political party in Grenada

The Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) is a political party in Grenada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1951 Grenadian general election</span> General elections in Grenada held on 10 October 1951

General elections were held in Grenada on 10 October 1951. They were the first held with universal suffrage. Eric Gairy's Grenada Mental and Manual Workers Union won six of the eight seats. However, at this time the Legislative Council had few powers and the role of head of government remained with the Administrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954 Grenadian general election</span> General elections in Grenada held on 20 September 1954

General elections were held in Grenada on 20 September 1954. Although independent candidates received the most votes, Eric Gairy's Grenada United Labour Party won six of the eight seats, as it had done in the 1951 elections. At this time the Legislative Council had few powers. The role of head of government remained with the Administrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1957 Grenadian general election</span> General elections in Grenada held on 24 September 1957

General elections were held in Grenada on 24 September 1957. Following the introduction of the new Constitution on 21 December 1959 real authority for governing the country was given to a Chief Minister and those from the majority party in the Legislative Council based on the 1957 elections. Herbert Blaize was appointed the first Chief Minister from 1 January 1960 when the Legislative Council provisions took effect, with the cooperation of the independents who chose to support the Grenada National Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 Grenadian general election</span> General elections in Grenada held on 13 September 1962

General elections were held in Grenada on 13 September 1962. Herbert Blaize's Grenada National Party won six of the ten seats and Blaize was appointed Chief Minister for the second time. Blaize served as Head of Government until the next general election in August 1967, initially as Chief Minister until March 1967, and subsequently when Grenada became a fully internally autonomous Associated State, as Grenada's first Premier. Voter turnout was 72.6.

The National Party (TNP) was a political party in Grenada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Somalia</span>

The Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia is the supreme law of Somalia. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the Federal Republic and source of legal authority. It sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of government. The Provisional Constitution was adopted on August 1, 2012 by a National Constitutional Assembly in Mogadishu, Banaadir.

Sir John Augustus Fitzroy Watts KCMG CBE was a Grenadian dentist, politician and co-founder of the Grenada National Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Assembly (British Guiana)</span>

The House of Assembly was the legislature of British Guiana in the 1950s and 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T.A. Marryshow</span> Radical politician from Grenada

Theophilus Albert Marryshow, sometimes known as "Teddy" or "Albert", was a radical politician in Grenada and considered the father of the West Indies Federation.

References

  1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p307 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
  2. Steele, BA (2003) Grenada. A History of its People p361 ISBN   0-333-93053-3
  3. Nohlen, p309
  4. Herbert Augustus Blaize The Grenada Revolution Online
  5. Steele, p360