Emmalin Celina Pierre (born 23 August 1975) is a Grenadian politician who has been leader of the New National Party since 2024 and a member of the Grenadian parliament since 2003,first serving in the Senate before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2013. She has previously served as Minister for Education,Human Resource Development,Religious Affairs,and Information.
Born in Birchgrove,St. Andrew's,She studied at Edinburgh Napier University earning a master's degree in business administration and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Walden University. Emmalin was first appointed to the Senate in 2003,before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2013. She has served as Minister for Youth,Sports and Religious Affairs (2003 - 2008),and Minister for Education,Human Resource Development,Information,and Religious Affairs (2013 - 2022).
Pierre was elected as the first female Leader of the New National Party (NNP) at the party’s national convention on Sunday,15 December 2024. Her election as leader came after Keith Mitchell,who had led the party since 1989,announced he would be stepping down.[1]
Early life
Born and raised in Birch Grove and grew up in an agricultural household. As a child she spent her weekends and after school harvesting Nutmeg and Cocoa bean. Her professional journey commenced as a young journalist,transitioning into a teaching role and subsequently assuming the position of Deputy Director of Youth. Additionally,she held various voluntary roles including Regional Coordinator for the Commonwealth Youth Program,President of the Leo clubs of St. George and St. Andrew,President of the National Youth Council,and a host of television and radio programmes aimed at youth empowerment. She later went on to serve as a government minister.
Early political career
Appointed to the Senate of Grenada in 2003 at the age of 27,she served as the country's minister for Youth Development during her time as a senator. She was defeated in the 8 July 2008 elections in the constituency of Saint Andrew South East by newcomer Patrick Simmons of the NDC. After 2008 she worked throughout the Caribbean as a consultant on youth development with a specific focus on developing youth policies.
Pierre faced Patrick Simmons again in the general election on February 19,2013,and won by 795 votes. On March 3,2013,she was sworn in again as Grenada's Minister of Youth,with additional responsibility for Sport and Ecclesiastic Affairs. She is Grenada's first female minister of sports. She defeated Patrick Simmons in the general election on March 13,2018. She again retained her seat in the 2022 election.
Emmalin has been the first candidate to win the St. Andrew South-east constituency consecutively. She now serves as an opposition member in the House of Representatives.
Political leader (2024-present)
On December 15,the New National Party (NNP) elected her as the party’s first female political leader. Emmalin Pierre served as public relations officer before her elevation to the role of leader. The NNP has been led by Dr Keith Mitchell since 1989,after he was elected political leader during a convention in which he contested against Herbert Blaize,the first leader of the NNP. Prior to the convention,Mitchell announced he would be stepping aside and endorsed Pierre as his successor.
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