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