Her Excellency Dame
Cécile La Grenade
GCMG DStJ OBE
La Grenade in 2022
Governor-General of Grenada
Assumed office
7 May 2013
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Prime MinisterKeith Mitchell
Dickon Mitchell
Preceded byCarlyle Glean
Personal details
Born
Cécile Ellen Fleurette La Grenade

(1952-12-30) 30 December 1952[1]
La Borie, Grenada
Alma materUniversity of the West Indies
University of Maryland, College Park

Dame Cécile Ellen Fleurette La Grenade, GCMG DStJ OBE (born 30 December 1952) is a Grenadian food scientist who has served as Governor-General of Grenada since 7 May 2013.

Early life and career

La Grenade was born in La Borie, located in Saint George Parish, Grenada.[2] She is the third of five daughters born to Allan A. La Grenade MBE, a civil servant, and Sibyl Sylvester-La Grenade, a registered nurse. Her maternal grandmother, Mary Louise "Eva" Ollivierre-Sylvester, was the first woman in the British Windward Islands to serve on the legislative council of her country, after being elected in 1952, less than a year after universal suffrage. She is a paternal first cousin of Maurice Bishop, the Prime Minister of Grenada during the 1979-83 People's Revolutionary Government.[3] La Grenade is a food scientist trained in the United States. She holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of the West Indies,[2] as well as a master's degree and doctorate in food science from the University of Maryland at College Park.[4][5]

She became a member of the Caribbean Export Development Agency’s Steering Committee, serving as the OECS Private Sector Representative, in 2006. In 2007 she was appointed Chairman of the Public Service Commission by Governor-General Sir Daniel Williams, a position she held until 2010.[6]

Governor-General of Grenada

La Grenade's appointment as governor-general of Grenada was announced during the same week as the death of Grenada's first female governor, Dame Hilda Bynoe. Bynoe was the goddaughter of La Grenade's maternal grandfather, Dr Cyril I. St Bernard Sylvester, an educator and public servant.[7] La Grenade was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by Queen Elizabeth II on 11 July 2014.[8]

As governor-general, La Grenade opened the new Grenadian Parliament building in 2018. That same year, following the 15-0 victory of the New National Party in the March general election, she exercised the royal prerogative by appointing members of the defeated National Democratic Congress to the Senate in order to provide a parliamentary opposition to the government.[9] As patron of the Willie Redhead Foundation and the Grenada National Trust, she has been an outspoken supporter of the restoration of Grenada's architectural heritage, especially the viceregal residence of Government House and York House, the former seat of Parliament.

La Grenade signing the book of condolence for Queen Elizabeth II at Lancaster House on 17 September 2022

Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, La Grenade became the first Grenadian governor-general to have served under two monarchs. She said that the Queen served with "incomparable devotion", and that "her legacy of leadership and exemplary service shall live on indelibly".[10] She also represented Grenada at the Queen's state funeral in the United Kingdom.[11]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Per birth certificate, Registry of Birth records, Parish of Saint George, Grenada, West Indies
  2. 1 2 "Biography: Dr. Cecile La Grenade (2013 - Present)". www.gov.gd. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "La Grenade "proud to be chosen as new Grenada GG". www.spiceislander.com. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  4. ↑ La Grenade, Cecile E F (1986). Effect of storage temperature and duration on the quality of aseptically processed foods (MS Thesis). University of Maryland at College Park. OCLC 15126378.
  5. ↑ La Grenade, Cecile E F (1990). Studies on Fusarium moniliforme : causal agent of equine leucoencephalomalacia (PhD Thesis). University of Maryland at College Park. OCLC 24045790.
  6. ↑ "Biography of the Governor-General". www.gg.weboffice.gd. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "Dame Cécile La Grenade". www.caribbeanelections.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Dame Cécile Knighted". www.nowgrenada.com. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Lansford, Tom (2021). Grenada. doi:10.4135/9781544384702. ISBN 9781544384719. S2CID 237961018. Retrieved 20 January 2023. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  10. ↑ "GG extends condolences on death of HM Queen Elizabeth II". Now Grenada. 8 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Governor General to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral". Now Grenada. 12 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Photographic image". Constantinian.org.uk. Archived from the original (JPG) on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Governor General of Grenada attends Autumn Delegation Dinner of the Constantinian Order - Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George". 9 November 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  14. ↑ "Photographic image" (JPEG). Constantinian.org.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  15. ↑ "Photographic image" (JPG). 1.pictures.zimbio.com. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  16. ↑ "Photographic image" (JPG). 4.pictures.zimbio.com. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "Crown Office". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2022.

Sources

  • United Nations CEDAW/C/GRD/Q/1-5/Add.1 :Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; Distr.: General, 4 November 2011; ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION (p. 14)
  • Shepherd, Verene A. (editor), Women in Caribbean History (Kingston: Ian Randle, 1999, ISBN 978-1558761896).
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