General elections were held in Grenada on 13 March 1990. 

Electoral System

The 15 members of the House of Representatives were elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.There was no fixed election date in effect in Grenada at this time; hence, the choice of election date is the prerogative of the Prime Minister.

Background

In December 1989, Prime Minister Herbert Blaize (National Party – NP) died and was succeeded by his Deputy Ben Jones.  The latter then called on the Governor-General to prorogue Parliament in late December.  Under the Constitution, general elections were then due within 90 days.

Political Parties & Candidates

A total of 76 candidates and six parties contested the election. The main contenders were The National Party (TNP), headed by Jones; the centrist National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by Nicholas Braithwaite, head of the 1983-1984 interim government; the NNP, headed by Keith Mitchell; the leftist Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM), led by Terry Marryshow; and Eric Gairy's rightist Grenada United Labour Party (GULP). The slate included two independent candidates.

Election Campaign

Economic issues (unemployment, the need for foreign investment, etc.) figured prominently among those debates during the election campaign.

Results

On polling day, the centrist National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, founded in 1987 and led by Nicholas Brathwaite, captured seven of the 15 Representatives’ seats, three more than the right-wing Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) headed by former Prime Minister Sir Eric Gairy.  Only two members of The National Party (NP) – founded in 1989 following a split in the New National Party (NNP) – were elected. 

On 16 March, Brathwaite – who had led a 13-month interim Government after the US invasion of Grenada in October 1983 – was appointed Prime Minister after having received the support of the NP.

Voter Turnout

Voter turnout was 68.59%.

Post-election

After implementing unpopular economic reforms, the aging Braithwaite stepped down in early 1995 in favor of agricultural minister George Brizan.