Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell on Thursday defended the decision to dismiss Youth and Sports Minister Jonathan LaCrette from his cabinet, saying he had lost confidence in him.
Mitchell told a news conference that on Tuesday he had advised the Governor General Dame Cécile La Grenade to revoke LaCrette’s appointment both as a minister and as a senator.
Mitchell said that he has since thanked LaCrette “for his service to the government and people of Grenada as a minister of government and as a senator and he has expressed his appreciation for being given the opportunity to serve in the Cabinet.”
“The reason for doing so is that as prime minister, sitting in the Cabinet, I formed the view that I had personally lost trust and confidence in Mr. LaCrette in his capacity as a minister and in those circumstances, I thought it was appropriate for me to inform him of that fact and to inform his fellow Cabinet colleagues.”
Mitchell said that the exchange took place during the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, which he chaired one day after chairing the 47th regular meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders held here July 28-30.
“I want to emphasise there is no personal issue between myself and Mr LaCrette. I am quite fond of him, there are no personal issues between him and the ministers of government. They have an excellent relationship,” Mitchell said, adding “this is purely an issue of my prime ministerial discretion in relation to Mr LaCrette as a minister.”
He said he wanted to make it clear that if he loses the trust and confidence of any minister “the only appropriate thing to do would be to allow that minister to be relieved of the burden of ministerial duties.”
Mitchell said he appreciates that the dismissal would be an issue that ought to be discussed, whether in the media or other places, but maintained “I will not get into the nitty-gritty of the details because they are not appropriate given the fact that it is a trust and confidence issue.”
He has since named Education Minister David Andrew to act as the Minister of Youth and Sports “until I make a further decision as to the substantive post to the Minister of Youth and Sports or any further Cabinet realignment.”
Mitchell said that LaCrette still remains a member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), adding “I look forward to continue working with him in that capacity as the member of the National Democratic Congress.”
LaCrette was appointed a senator after he failed to win the St George’s Northwest constituency in the June 2022 general elections. He was initially appointed as the Health Minister but in a cabinet reshuffle in January 2024 he was reassigned to serve as the Youth and Sports Minister.
Mitchell dismissed suggestions that he had made a “mistake” in bringing LaCrette into the Cabinet, given that he had shifted him once and then removed him from office two years after the NDC won the elections.
“Former minister LaCrette is a member of the National Democratic Congress, and I have the privilege of being able to appoint any member of the National Democratic Congress who is willing to serve as a senator or as a government minister.”
“You have to appreciate that governance and politics are dynamic, too often we seem to think how you start is how you finish. That’s not just the reality of life, and so I haven’t made a mistake.”
“You are entitled to take decisions, review the decisions and to adjust as you see fit based on the circumstances of what is happening. So, I don’t view my decision-making in the context of a mistake,” Mitchell said, leaving the door open for a possible return of LaCrette.