CODEL ENGEL'S VISIT TO GRENADA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000509

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV GJ
SUBJECT: CODEL ENGEL'S VISIT TO GRENADA


Classified By: CDA Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The April 13-15, 2007, visit of CODEL Engel
to Grenada was a great success. Grenadians, including
government and opposition leaders, and resident American and
local business people, were pleased with the opportunity to
exchange views with the delegation and hopeful that the visit
will result in tangible benefits for the country and the
region. Representative Eliot assured local officials, and
via a press conference, the people of Grenada, of continued
U.S. interest in, and engagement with, the region. Prime
Minister Keith Mitchell thanked the United States for its
assistance following Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005).
He also raised with the delegation GOG concern about
criminal deportees and a lack of USG college scholarships for
Caribbean students. Deputy Prime Minister Gregory Bowen
hosted a dinner for the delegation, which was attended by a
number of Cabinet members and government officials.


2. (C) The CODEL was able to view the results of the USG's
USD 46 million assistance program for Hurricane Ivan
reconstruction at two locations. In addition, the Chancellor
of St. George's University (SGU),Dr. Charles R. Modica,
agreed to delegation members' request to look into additional
scholarships for minority and women students from their
congressional districts; the members toured the SGU campus.
On April 14 the CODEL hosted a lunch for local business
leaders followed by a press conference. Because changes in
the CODEL's schedule did not allow for a separate meeting
with Grenada's opposition leaders, post invited opposition
head Tillman Thomas and the opposition Member of Parliament
from South St. George's, Glynis Roberts, to the lunch.
Immediately following the lunch, CODEL members held a press
conference for local media. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee,
Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY),led the congressional
delegation to Grenada and Trinidad & Tobago April 13-16,

2007. Members of CODEL Engel included: Rep. Eliot Engel
(D-NY) and Mrs. Engel, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-NY),Rep. Maxine
Waters (D-CA) and Ambassador Sidney Williams, Rep. Sheila
Jackson Lee (D-TX),and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY); staff
assistants Jason Steinbaum, Eric Jacobstein, and Mark Walker;
Bethesda Naval Hospital staff physician Dr. Paul Florentino;
and other military support staff.

USG Post-Hurricane Ivan Reconstruction and Assistance
-------------- --------------


4. (C) The delegation's program started April 14 with a visit
to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA),which
USAID/OFDA helped to bolster following Hurricane Ivan in

2004. NADMA continues to receive USG support for both
equipment and training, especially through foreign military
financing (FMF) funds now scheduled to be eliminated for the
Eastern Caribbean. NADMA Director Sylvan McIntyre described
the operation for the delegation and explained that the USG
is the only major donor to his organization. McIntyre gave a
tour of the facility.


5. (C) Following NADMA, the delegation toured the Richmond
Hill Home for the Elderly, one of only two such facilities in
Grenada. The Home cares not only for senior citizens, but
also for the severely physically and mentally handicapped.
USG funds, in conjunction with the Pan-American Health
Organization (PAHO) and Canada's development agency (CIDA),
helped replace the roof on the patients' side of the
building. The tour highlighted for the delegation the
continuing need for supplies such as adult diapers and
wheelchairs as well as additional construction.

St. George's University
--------------


6. (C) Dr. Charles R. Modica, the Chancellor of St. George's
University (SGU)--a medical school founded by Modica and
others for students who do not get into U.S. medical schools-
-met with delegation members and conducted a tour of the
university's Grand Anse campus. SGU provides USD 17 million
in scholarships to Grenadian students to attend college and
has created an undergraduate program specifically for them.
According to Modica, students from around the world are also
taking advantage of the educational opportunities at SGU. He
has reached out to African countries as well and at the
moment 40 students from Botswana are enrolled in the medical
school.


7. (C) Rep. Barbara Lee asked about the numbers of
African-American students at SGU this year, since the numbers
were low last year. Rep. Jackson Lee asked if the university
was reaching out to African-American and Latino inner city
students to bring to medical school. SGU's Dean of Students,
Dr. Ted Hollis, explained that SGU set up a pre-med program
that helps to bring students up to the level at which they
can handle the medical school program. This three-year (one
in the educational services program and then two at the
medical school) program was designed for Grenadian students
who come into SGU with weaker schooling from the local
educational system, to ensure they get the help they need to
complete the medical school program. He suggested that
students from other countries could use this program as well.
Modica offered to set up pre-med and medical scholarships
for students in the members' congressional districts and have
the university's recruiters target those areas. He said that
he wants the students who receive scholarships to promise to
return to the areas they are from to work for an
as-yet-undetermined period of time. Modica promised to
follow up as soon as possible to sort out the details.
Another concern raised by several members of the delegation
was the lack of good nurse training in the U.S. Nurses can
earn more working for hospitals than by teaching. Hollis
briefly described SGU's efforts to develop a nursing school
which they hope to have fully functioning soon, with
instructors from around the world. Following the discussion,
Modica gave the group a tour of university facilities,
visiting lecture halls, the library, and labs. The tour
ended at SGU's moving memorial to the 23 American service
members who lost their lives during the 1983 U.S.-Caribbean
intervention since, about which Modica observed, "They did
it, at least in part, for us."

Government of Grenada
--------------


8. (C) Prime Minister Keith Mitchell met with the delegation
at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium, where he was
watching one of the Super Eight games. He joined them in the
President's box, an air-conditioned room behind the stands,
with a flat screen TV showing the game. The PM welcomed the
group, saying he was very pleased that they had chosen to
visit Grenada. Mitchell made a pitch for Caribbean
scholarships; repeating as he does for every official U.S.
visitor his fond memories of Reagan-era scholarships,
observing, "When the Wall fell, the scholarships left too."
The other main issue Mitchell raised was criminal deportees.
He acknowledged that the United States has the right to
determine who can remain in the country, but complained that
"they come to Grenada without notice and cause trouble."
Mitchell provided the example of two villages at each other's
throats where he negotiated a truce and then discovered that
a youth, deported from the U.S., had started the dispute.
Mitchell also asked for help developing programs to deal with
them, e.g., training, rehabilitation, as well as counseling
for family. (COMMENT: This is the only concrete example of
a deportee engaging in criminal behavior upon his return to
Grenada that Mitchell has ever provided us. Grenada receives
about 50 deportees from the U.S. per year, both criminal and
non-criminal. The GOG is notified at least twice during the
process, once in Washington when the Grenadian embassy is
asked to provide travel documents and again 10 days prior to
the deportation via dipnote from post to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs & International Trade, and by fax to the
Commissioner of Police. There appears to be a breakdown in
communication among the GOG entities. END COMMENT.)


9. (C) Chairman Engel told the Prime Minister that this trip
was his first abroad after becoming chairman of the House
International Relations Committee (HIRC) and his first to
Grenada. He expressed his desire to strengthen the ties
between the two countries, noting the long history of
friendship and cooperation. The other members of Congress
raised the following issues:

- Rep. Waters noted the importance of cooperation on drug
interdiction, adding that other Eastern Caribbean and CARICOM
nations had expressed concern about possible impingement on
their sovereignty. She said the Congressional Black Caucus
understands these concerns but also wants to work with the
countries to ensure effective drug interdiction.

- Rep. Lee told Mitchell her primary concern is to increase
trade between Grenada and the U.S. west coast. She
encouraged the Prime Minister to focus more on California as
a destination for people and goods.

- Rep. Jackson Lee said she is embarrassed by U.S.
inattentiveness to the Caribbean. She suggested Grenada
reach out to Continental Airlines to consider Grenada as a
destination to increase direct flights from various parts of
the United States to Grenada, including from the Southwest.
Lee asked that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs &
International Trade draft five points on issues of concern to
Grenada, e.g., human resources, cultural exchange, homeland
security, and send the list to Congress to improve the
dialogue. Rep. Lee also told the PM that they (Congress) are
aware of the deportee issue.

- Rep. Clarke mentioned that she was not on the HIRC, but
appreciated Engel reaching out and including her on the trip.
She added that her congressional district in New York has
the highest number of Grenadians resident anywhere in the
United States.

Chairman Engel summed up by acknowledging that the issue of
criminal deportees is one they have heard from a number of
different Caribbean countries. He will be happy to look into
it. Engel also mentioned that assistance is important for
the region and that his committee will be looking into a
number of different options.


10. (C) Deputy Prime Minister Gregory Bowen hosted a dinner
for the delegation at True Blue Bay Resort and Villas April

14. Also attending were Minister for Education and Labour
and member of parliament for St. John's Parish, Claris
Charles; Minister for Health, Social Security, the
Environment, and Ecclesiastic Relations, Senator Ann
David-Antoine; Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Culture
and Performing Arts, Brenda Hood. Minister of Finance and
Planning Anthony Boatswain and the Junior Minister of
National Security, Einstein Louison, though invited, did not
attend. Chairman Engel and Deputy Prime Minister Bowen
exchanged toasts to mutual friendship and continued
cooperation.

Other Activities
--------------


11. (C) CODEL Engel hosted a lunch for local business people
at their hotel, including a number of American business
people resident in Grenada. About 20 were invited, including
members of the local branch of the Chamber of Commerce,
University administration, energy-related companies,
Grenada's Tourism Board, several artists and hoteliers.
Because of changes to the CODEL's schedule, which made a
separate meeting with leaders of the main opposition National
Democratic Congress (NDC) impossible, Embassy Grenada invited
two NDC members to attend the lunch. (NOTE: The opposition
took advantage of their invitation to bash the government on
an April 15 local radio program. An opposition leader--not
one invited to the lunch--told the program's host that the
GOG had stood the Embassy up. Charge later told the two who
had attended the lunch (Tillman Thomas and Glynis Roberts)
that she was surprised to hear this on the program and hoped
to clear up any misunderstandings by letting them know that
the government was not invited to the lunch. In fact, the
opposition representatives had only been invited because we
could not find any time on April 14 to fit a separate meeting
with the opposition into the CODEL's schedule and we thought
it important to give them the opportunity. END NOTE.)


12. (U) CODEL Engel held a news conference immediately after
the lunch. Reports were carried the next day on radio and
television and in the following editions of the three major
newspapers (all weeklies).
GILROY