Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has hinted that the date for the general election could be announced before the end of the month. Mitchell made his greatest hint to date on Sunday, January 7, at a rally to endorse Alvin Dabreo as the governing New National Party’s (NNP) representative in the St. John’s constituency. According to Mitchell, the announcement of a date for the general election could take place at a meeting scheduled to be held in his constituency of St. George North West on January 28. “On the 27th of January before my endorsement, I am putting a challenge out to Nazim Burke, I want us to go in Queen’s Park for a 100 yards dash,” he said to the thousands of supporters after he called on opponents to stop the rumours stating that his health has been compromised. He later said a public meeting will not be held on January 27, but on the following day, Sunday, January 28. He told supporters that the first step towards announcing the date is the dissolution of Parliament by Governor General Dame Cecile LaGrenade. “It’s no secret, very soon the Governor General will be dissolving the Parliament and the country will be run by the cabinet of ministers but no parliamentarians.” Mitchell added that the NNP will be having a series of meetings to publicly endorse the eight remaining candidates and the final meeting of this nature will be held in his constituency. He said that during the final meeting to endorse the last three remaining candidates–including himself, he “will most likely make the big announcement”. “We going Beausejour and I will most likely have a big announcement when we get to Beausejour,” he told the jubilant crowd. Meanwhile at a meeting of the main opposition National Democratic Congress that was held in the northern parish of St. Patrick, political leader Nazim Burke on hearing of Mitchell’s promise to make the “big announcement”, told his supporters that the upcoming general election will be a referendum on his legacy. “We can tell you with absolute certainty that within the next 21 days the announcement will be called, it will be the single most important decision in your lifetime. This election will be a referendum on Dr. Mitchell,” he said. A general election is constitutionally due here by mid-year. Source: St. Lucia News