GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT DECEMBER 2 - 8, 2007

UNCLAS GRENADA 000173 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON EAID GJ CH PE SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT DECEMBER 2 - 8, 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 Text: ¶A. New Chinese Ambassador Sworn In China's second envoy to Grenada, Ambassador Zhang Wanhai, presented his credentials to the Governor General and met with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition the day after he arrived in the country. Prime Minister Mitchell thanked the new Ambassador for China's work done on Grenada in the last two years. Ambassador Zhang told the Prime Minister that China was totally committed to the completion of a football and athletics stadium and the building of the 2000 low income homes in 2008. (Note: Work on the houses was supposed to have started in 2006, but the PRC resisted the GOG request to repair existing homes. It has taken the government this long to acquire sufficient land so that the homes can be built in one or two locations.) ¶B. Costs Continue to Climb Despite Rhetoric Following just days after a regional meeting to discuss ways to cushion the effects of the high cost of living, the government announced a 5% increase in gas prices, based on ex-refinery prices for 10/05 - 11/30/07. The 2008 budget, presented by Minister for Finance (also Prime Minister) Keith Mitchell on November 30, included a number of relief programs for the neediest Grenadians, but the pain reaches up into the middle class, which is grumbling about this latest increase. ¶C. Grenada's Sends Envoy to Peru for First Time Last week, Ambassador Richard McPhail presented his Letters of Credence to President of the Republic of Peru, Dr. Alan Garcia Perez. McPhail is the first ever Grenadian ambassador to Peru, having most recently served in that capacity in Venezuela. The two discussed possibilities for greater cooperation on trade issues, scholarships, assistance for agriculture and agro industries, and assistance for programs for youth development and empowerment. ¶D. EU Pleased With Performance Of Ministry of Works According to the Prime Minister's Office, Independent European Commission Consultant Basile Kotschoubey said that he was pleased with the Ministry of Works' involvement in the schools rehabilitation project. Kotschoubey met with Ministry officials last week while on a visit monitoring projects financed by the European Union (EU) through the World Bank. The Ministry provides a site clerk on each project site, who is responsible for ensuring that works are being done in accordance with the designs and specifications and for ensuring that daily records are kept on works performed, materials and equipment as well as the presence of the labour force. End text. MCISAAC