61-year old Barrister-at-law, Tillman Thomas is the new Prime Minister of Grenada.
Thomas took the oath of office on Wednesday from Governor-General, Sir Daniel Williams at a ceremony held at the Grenada Trade Center at Grand Anse, St. George's. It came less than 24 hours after he led his National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to a sweeping 11-4 victory over the ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell.
The results dashed any hopes Dr. Mitchell had of winning a fourth consecutive five-year term in office.
Within minutes of the polls pointing to a clear victory, GRENADA TODAY headed to the home of Prime Minister-elect Thomas at Hermitage, St. Patrick's to interview him on ending 13 years in the political wilderness for Congress.
"I feel a sense of achievement. I think we have really spearheaded a good campaign", said the father of four who became the first NDC leader to win a clear majority at the polls.
Prime Minister Thomas thanked God and the people of Grenada for piloting the NDC to victory at the polls that brought an end to Mitchell's stranglehold on the island for the past decade.
He spoke of engaging in serious prayer sessions in recent weeks with the Catholic Charismatic Movement in Grenville, St. Andrew's to seek God's guidance and his mercies.
He recalled an occasion in which he was given a bible and asked to open it to any page."When I opened the bible, it was on Jeremiah 30 and that chapter dealt with liberating the land", he said.
According to Prime Minister, he regarded it as "spiritual forces at work" and felt that this was no co-incidence since God was clearly giving him to play a critical role to play in "liberating" Grenada on July 8 at the polls.
In the elections itself, the biggest casualty was deputy Prime Minister, Gregory Bowen who lost his St. George South-east seat to a Minister of Religion, Pastor Karl Hood.
Two other elected government ministers also lost their seats: Anthony Boatswain, the Minister of Economic Development and Planning (St. Patrick West) and Yolande Joseph-Horsford, the Minister of Social Development (St. Andrew South-west).
Several Senators were also trashed at the polls: Ann David-Antoine (Minister Health) and Emmalin Pierre (Minister of Youth Affairs), Brenda Hood (Minister of Works), and Carl Caton (Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture).
Former Police Commissioner, Fitzroy Bedeau failed to retain the St. John seat which the NNP won in the last three general elections. Former civil servant, Michael Church won the seat for Congress.
The NDC held onto all its seven seats in the 2003 poll: Prime Minister Thomas (St. Patrick East), Peter David (Town of St. George), Nazim Burke (St. George North-east), Denis Lett (St. David's), Alleyne Walker (St. Andrew North-west) and Glynnis Roberts (South St. George).
Newcomer Patrick Simmons held onto the St. Andrew South-east seat in a close challenge from former Youthj Minister, Emmalin Pierre.
Another newcomer Sylvester Quarless was also a winner when he captured the St. Andrew South-west seat from ex-minister Yolande Bain-Horsford, while Joseph Gilbert was lucky second time around over Planning Minister, Anthony Boatswain in St. Patrick West.
The NNP conceded defeat on Tuesday night with Campaign Chairman Einstein Louison saying on local television that "we have lost as it appears".
Dr. Mitchell, who has led the country since 1995, was gracious in defeat, even as he admitted that the results had caught his party by surprise.
"I think it was very clear that the people were voting for change and I think the message of change, over let the progress continue, worked out and I think that's the fundamental factor here," he said. "I would wish to congratulate Tillman Thomas and his team and wish him the best."
Prime Minister Thomas attended the Tivoli R.C School before migrating to the United States in the 1960's to study Economics at Fordham University.
He returned to the region in 1973 to attend the university of the West Indies to pursue a degree in law to qualify as a barrister-at-law.
The new Prime Minister is known to be a lover of food especially cow heel soup and eats a lot of fruits on a daily basis.
In his spare time, he is either into farming or visiting people at the community level especially the sick and aged.
His wife Sandra, a long-standing civil servant said that her husband is not one who likes to sit around the house and idle."He likes to go out and help people. He does not sit at home at all. He is always out helping people and visiting the sick", she said.
Prime Minister Thomas got married to Sandra on December 31, 1983 and together they are the parents of two boys and two girls.
The results in Grenada have mirrored recent elections in Barbados and Belize earlier in the year, in Jamaica and the Bahamas in 2007, and in St Lucia the previous year, where winds of change swept out incumbent governments.
Meantime, Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Albert Ramdin, who headed a 38-member observer team in Grenada, said he was very pleased with "the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Grenadian people in casting their ballots using their fundamental rights".
"In many of the polling stations that we went it was clear that almost 75 to 85 per cent of the registered voters turned out. That is quite high for Caribbean elections in general," he said.
