Fourteen years after the passage of Hurricane Ivan which devastated Grenada’s housing infrastructure including the House of Parliament, which at the time was located on Church Street in St George, a brand new state-of-the-art Parliament House was officially opened on Thursday 21 June 2018.

The US12.2 million-dollar facility, located at the top of Mt Wheldale, overlooks the St George’s harbor and offers a breath-taking view of the island. According to Hon Gregory Bowen, Minister for Infrastructure Development “It is important to recall that the immediate imperative for the construction of this new parliament building was born out of the crucible of national crisis,” following the passage of Ivan. However, thanks to the Government and people of the Republic of Mexico, United Arab Emirates and Australia this vision became a reality.

In March 2016 work commenced on the grounds, creating at its peak time, jobs for approximately 200 persons. After 25 months of hard work and labor, Grenada has finally opened the doors of its Parliament House to the public. “The building is designed as an open public space that provides the best opportunity for the citizens of Grenada to observe the democratic process and to interact with the participants,” said Minister Bowen during his speech at the opening ceremony.

Besides having seating for almost 200 persons inside the Chamber, the building will comprise office space for Staff of the House of Parliament, dining facility, Media Bay, Sick Bay, Child Care Area as well as access for disabled persons among other amenities.

Additionally, the building was designed with a “green footprint” with allowances for natural lighting and ventilation, local materials and smart-building systems that reduce energy usage. With the Government’s visionary creation of a Ministry of Climate Resilience and the renewed thrust of climate resilience infrastructure the design of the building has been engineered to comply with the relevant hurricane and earthquake codes etc.

This, is the focus of Prime Minister Dr the Rt Keith Mitchell, who referred to the newly built infrastructure as a “majestic symbol” during his Feature Address at the Opening Ceremony.

“Climate change and its effects are here to stay, no matter what and who say otherwise,” the PM warned. “We have been knocked down by nature and also human hands and each time we have gotten back up even stronger,” as he referred to Ivan’s wrath in 2004. Not only does the building display beauty and modernization, but, the public can be assured that it can withstand the effects of Category 5 and 6 Hurricanes.

PM Mitchell expressed thanks to those who assisted in getting the Building to where it is now, for “without their direct help, this structure would not have become a reality.”

Also addressing the gathering briefly, was His Excellency Majid Al Suwaide, Consul General, United Arab Emirates, New York. According to him, he was pleased to see the progress on the building that was made in less than three years. “The new Parliament Building is a symbol of the Grenadian people’s civic pride and political heritage.”

His Excellency Oscar Esparaja Vargas, Ambasador of the United Mexican States to Grenada, said he was happy to have been a part of this venture. “Mexico has a keen interest in the development of Grenada as well as the Caribbean on a whole,” and they hope to strengthen the relationship.

Regional leaders who were in attendance to this auspicious occasion were, Secretary General of CARICOM – Ambassador  Irwin La Rocque, Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago – Dr Keith Rowley; Prime Minister of St Vincent & the Grenadines – Dr Ralph Gonsalves and Prime Minister of St Lucia – Allen Chastnet.