Sir James Fitz-Allen Mitchell (born 15 May 1931) was the second Prime Minister

Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...

 of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....

 and the founder of the New Democratic Party

New Democratic Party (Saint Vincent)

The New Democratic Party is a conservative political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The party is led by Arnhim Eustace, and is currently the official opposition in the House of Assembly.-History:...

 (NDP). He also served as Premier

Premier

Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...

 of the then colony from 1972 to 1974.

Life and career

Mitchell was born in Bequia

Bequia

Bequia is the largest island in the Grenadines. It is part of the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and is approximately 15 km from the nation's capital, Kingstown.-Geography:The island capital is Port Elizabeth...

, Saint Vincent

Saint Vincent (island)

Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...

, British Windward Islands

British Windward Islands

The British Windward Islands was a British colony existing between 1833 and 1960 and consisting of the islands of Grenada, St Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, Barbados , Tobago , and Dominica, previously included in the...

. He attended secondary school at St Vincent Boy's Grammar School. Mitchell then enrolled at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture

University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...

 in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...

. Mitchell also attended the University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...

.

Mitchell was first elected to the legislative body of Saint Vincent in 1966

Vincentian general election, 1966

General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 22 August 1966. Although the Saint Vincent Labour Party received the most votes, the People's Political Party won a majority of seats. Voter turnout was 84.1%.-Results:...

. Mitchell served as Minister of Agriculture and Trade from 1967 to 1972 in the Milton Cato

Milton Cato

Robert Milton Cato was the first Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and also held the offices Premier of Saint Vincent and Chief Minister of Saint Vincent before independence...

 government.

In 1972, Mitchell served as Premier of a coalition government

Coalition government

A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...

. He lost to political rival Milton Cato

Milton Cato

Robert Milton Cato was the first Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and also held the offices Premier of Saint Vincent and Chief Minister of Saint Vincent before independence...

 in the 1974 elections

Vincentian general election, 1974

General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 9 December 1974. The result was a victory for the Saint Vincent Labour Party, which won ten of the 13 seats. Voter turnout was 63.2%.-Results:...

. In 1975, Mitchell created the New Democratic Party

New Democratic Party (Saint Vincent)

The New Democratic Party is a conservative political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The party is led by Arnhim Eustace, and is currently the official opposition in the House of Assembly.-History:...

. Mitchell's NDP went on to defeat the Cato's Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party in the 1984 general election

Vincentian general election, 1984

General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 25 July 1984. The result was a victory for the New Democratic Party, which won nine of the thirteen seats. Voter turnout was 88.8%.-Results:...

.

Mitchell served as Prime Minister until his resignation on 27 October 2000, before the 2001 general election

Vincentian general election, 2001

General elections were held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 28 March 2001. The result was a victory for the Unity Labour Party, which won twelve of the fifteen seats. Voter turnout was 69.2%.-Results:...

.

Mitchell authored an autobiography titled Beyond The Islands and is currently on the advisory board of Strategic Communication Laboratories

Strategic Communication Laboratories

SCL is a behavioral research and intervention agency. It offers its services to governments, militaries, political parties, and commercial companies who seek to affect behavioral change amongst key audience groups...

.