Sir James Fitz-Allen Mitchell (15 May 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a Vincentian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from 1984 to 2000 and as the second Premier of Saint Vincent from 1972 to 1974. He founded the New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1975, and served as its president until 2000. Early life Mitchell was born in Bequia on 15 May 1931. He was the oldest of four children born to Captain Reginald and Lois Mitchell. Reginald was lost at sea during a January 1940 voyage in the Bermuda Triangle. Lois remarried Alfred Baynes of Saint Lucia, leaving the children with their paternal grandmother Sarah. Some time after Mitchell left Bequia to enter St. Vincent Grammar School, his grandmother died; his younger siblings then joined their mother in Saint Lucia. After studying for three years at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture in Trinidad and Tobago, Mitchell entered the University of British Columbia in 1954. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1955, majoring in Plant Science, and continued for one year of graduate studies. After graduation, Mitchell worked as an agricultural research officer for the government in Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia, then joined the Ministry of Overseas Development in London as a scientific information officer. While in London, he married Patricia Mae in 1965; they had three daughters. Political career Mitchell initially entered politics in 1966 by winning a legislative seat as a candidate of the Saint Vincent Labour Party. He was the Minister of Agriculture from 1967 to 1972. In that year, Mitchell resigned from Labour and won re-election as an Independent. He then became Premier with the support of the People's Political Party (PPP), serving from 1972 until 1974. After PPP leader Ebenezer Joshua withdrew his party's support, Mitchell formed the Mitchell/Sylvester Faction together with former PPP ministers Othniel Sylvester, Alphonso Dennie, and others. Although Mitchell was the only successful Faction candidate in 1974, they reorganized and founded the New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1975. Mitchell and the NDP became the main Parliamentary Opposition, serving until the NDP's victory in the 1984 elections. Mitchell became Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs in July 1984 and was re-elected for a fourth successive term when his Party scored an 8–7 victory in the 1998 parliamentary elections. Mitchell retired as Prime Minister and NDP President in