GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: OCTOBER 7 - 13, 2007

UNCLAS GRENADA 000150

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI KPAO ASEC GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: OCTOBER 7 - 13, 2007


1. (U) Embassy Grenada's weekly activity report (GWAR) provides
a little detail about events of interest that do not merit
longer reporting at this time.


2. (U) Begin GWAR text:

NO PRISONERS IN COURT FOR OPENING OF OCTOBER ASSIZES
The October assizes, opened on October 9 without any of the
prisoners whose cases were scheduled to be heard present. As a
result of the Grenada Bar Association's (GBA) public claim of a
tuberculosis outbreak in the Richmond Hill Prison (Grenada's
only prison) and statement that the lawyers feared for their
lives, the lead High Court Judge ordered the prisoners kept out
of court. The refusal to allow prisoners into court has delayed
cases already pushed back from the June assizes, when the June
11-20 Grenada 13 re-sentencing kept other cases from being heard.

Grenada's Chief Medical Officer and the Ministry of Health
declared the GBA claims to be without substance. Minister for
Legal Affairs, Claris Charles called on GBA members to withdraw
their inflammatory statements and attend to the `people's
business'. Charles said that she is concerned that persons were
being denied access to the court system due to the actions of
the GBA.

Embassy Grenada has checked with local health officials and
private doctors and been told that there is only one known
active TB case in Grenada, a fisherman who is in the hospital
being treated. As a result of the controversy, the Ministry of
Health is checking all prisoners. Note: there are no AmCit
prisoners in Grenada.

POLICE OFFICERS TO GET PAY INCREASE
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the Government
of Grenada and the Police Welfare Association which provides
fringe benefits and salary increases to members of the Royal
Grenada Police Force (RGPF). The MOU covers the period 2006 to

2009. The last police pay raise took place in 2002.

MORE RESIGNATIONS FROM PLM
The resignation of four top members of the Peoples' Labor
Movement (PLM) and the planned resignation of another two
undercuts the viability of the party. PLM was formed when
Francis Alexis united his Democratic Labor Party (DLP) with
remnants of the Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM) in

1999. The former deputy leader, journalist Bernard Jones said
he has since pledged his loyalties to the Gloria
Payne-Banfield's side of the Grenada United Labor Party (GULP).

PLM now joins GULP as internally dysfunctional. Neither party
appears capable of running an election campaign as their leaders
quarrel over position and status.

PM'S PRESS SECRETARY ASKS MEDIA GROUP TO APOLOGIZE
The Prime Minister's Press Secretary, Barry Collymore called on
Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG) president Michael
Bascombe to apologize to the Governor General for accusing the
Governor General and the Grenada Government of misleading the
people in the Throne Speech, presented on Friday October 12, in
which it was stated that Prime Minister Keith Mitchell presented
a paper on climate change in New York to world leaders.
Bascombe had claimed that President Bush and other leaders were
not at the event during which Mitchell represented the small
island states.

MCISAAC