Grenada launched its 2026 Carnival season at the National Cricket Stadium on Saturday, May 2, with traffic arrangements in effect from 11 a.m. to facilitate opening events. The launch begins the country’s most significant cultural and tourism cycle of the year, which culminates in Spicemas in August and serves as a primary draw for the Grenadian diaspora.
The Mitchell government is advancing legislation to amend the citizenship law to make Grenadian citizenship available to several categories of descendants of Grenadians living abroad. Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs Terry Forrester recently described diaspora reaction to the proposed reforms as enthusiastic. The legal change, if passed, would significantly expand the population eligible to register Grenadian citizenship through ancestry — a meaningful policy shift in a country whose diaspora population, by some estimates, rivals or exceeds its resident population.
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell told reporters infrastructure delivery remains the government’s central operational test for 2026. The long-delayed Cliff Road project is nearing motorability, with surrounding works expected to be complete by the end of May. The Willis Road rehabilitation, awarded to Construction and Industrial Equipment Limited (Rayneau), is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. The Clozier project required a full redesign after a major landslip and is now in negotiation phase with the contractor. Police-station upgrades are planned nationwide, with the Grenville station scheduled for demolition in June and Union Police Station works beginning this month.
Mitchell extended formal congratulations to Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne on his fourth-term victory, reaffirming Grenada’s commitment to deepening cooperation through the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and CARICOM. Mitchell’s National Democratic Congress took office in June 2022 after defeating the Keith Mitchell-led NNP, ending 22 years of NNP dominance.
Grenada labour-day messaging continued through the weekend with public commentary from union leaders on cost-of-living pressures. The Grenada Co-operative Bank distributed EC$2.59 million to members, including EC$1.45 million in dividends and EC$1.14 million in loan-interest rebates.
What it means: Carnival is the Grenadian diaspora’s most reliable trip home. A diaspora-citizenship reform layered on top of carnival season would change the meaning of that trip — from visiting to being legally connected. The government is openly pursuing both.