Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GRENADA149
2008-11-26 20:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Grenada
Cable title:
GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2008
how-toVZCZCXRO0811 RR RUEHGR DE RUEHGR #0149 3312050 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 262050Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY GRENADA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0506 INFO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0540 RUEHGR/AMEMBASSY GRENADA 0587
UNCLAS GRENADA 000149
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN PGOV SENV SOCI GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2008
UNCLAS GRENADA 000149
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN PGOV SENV SOCI GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2008
1. Embassy Grenada's weekly report (GWAR) provides a little
detail about events of interest that do not merit longer
reporting at this time.
2. Begin GWAR text:
a. Grenada Reopening Offshore Sector?
Re-establishing an offshore sector is one of the many ideas
floating around to get the country out of its current financial
hole. The Grenada Authority for the Regulation of Financial
Institutions (GARFIN) and the Ministry will review all offshore
legislation, most of which is six to seven years old. The
government hopes to hire a consultant to help them through this
process and to assist in determining the best type of offshore
business for Grenada. According to GARFIN, the GOG has received
occasional queries, but thus far has refrained from approving
any new ventures pending the review. There are 75-80 companies
currently registered, but no banks or insurance companies.
Grenada's previous experience with an offshore sector was less
than successful. A number of scams were run off the island and
little money was invested here.
b. Rains Undermine Road System
Two weeks of steady rain have left Grenada's ground soggy and
unstable. According to experts, the total amount of rain was in
the normal range for this time of year - however, usually it
does not all come at once. Normal Grenada rainy season weather
includes brief, heavy downpours followed by hours of brilliant
sunshine, allowing water to be absorbed and evaporated. Only
one death is believed to be the direct result of the flooding
and landslides, but water mains and many houses were damaged.
The National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) hopes to soon
have fixed all the pipes that shifted as the land moved.
Schools without water storage tanks closed. Despite NAWASA's
best efforts, several neighborhoods in the city of St. George's
remain without water. NAWASA has provided free water throughout
the crisis to residents without tanks.
Portions of several cross island roads were undermined in spots
as the ground subsided. The GOG is trying to determine which
roads remain safe and which need immediate rebuilding. Other
roads were blocked by falling boulders and trees, which have
mostly been cleared away by local residents. A number of
unpaved country roads have been rendered nearly impassable, even
for pedestrians. Grenadians whose houses were pulled apart
and/or seriously cracked by the force of the land movement have
been left homeless; there are no firm numbers.
c. Governor General Swearing In Rescheduled
The hastily arranged November 19 special sitting of parliament
to swear in the new Governor General was canceled abruptly the
night before when the proper documentation had not arrived from
England. Post subsequently learned that no invitations had been
sent out and that the Prime Minister was not actually on the
island that day so attendance would have been sparse. To add to
the embarrassment, the Grenada Advocate (a local weekly)
included an article about the (phantom as it turned out)
swearing in. The paper clearly wrote the item and sent the
paper off to be published in Barbados before news of the
cancellation was made public.
The special session has now been rescheduled for November 27.
d. Government May Finally Outlaw Sand Mining
The GOG has proposed changes to the Beach Protection Act
outlawing a common local practice of sand mining, removing sand,
shingle, or gravel from the beach, the sea, and the shore.
Grenadians have long mined the coastal areas for sand and gravel
for the production of concrete. This has undermined a number of
the country's beaches and in one case to cause some graves in an
old cemetery to begin sliding into the sea.
Previous attempts to end the practice have led to strikes and
other actions against the proposals. The new factor appears to
be that Grenada's main concrete producer began to produce and
sell high-grade gravel this year.
MCISAAC
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN PGOV SENV SOCI GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2008
1. Embassy Grenada's weekly report (GWAR) provides a little
detail about events of interest that do not merit longer
reporting at this time.
2. Begin GWAR text:
a. Grenada Reopening Offshore Sector?
Re-establishing an offshore sector is one of the many ideas
floating around to get the country out of its current financial
hole. The Grenada Authority for the Regulation of Financial
Institutions (GARFIN) and the Ministry will review all offshore
legislation, most of which is six to seven years old. The
government hopes to hire a consultant to help them through this
process and to assist in determining the best type of offshore
business for Grenada. According to GARFIN, the GOG has received
occasional queries, but thus far has refrained from approving
any new ventures pending the review. There are 75-80 companies
currently registered, but no banks or insurance companies.
Grenada's previous experience with an offshore sector was less
than successful. A number of scams were run off the island and
little money was invested here.
b. Rains Undermine Road System
Two weeks of steady rain have left Grenada's ground soggy and
unstable. According to experts, the total amount of rain was in
the normal range for this time of year - however, usually it
does not all come at once. Normal Grenada rainy season weather
includes brief, heavy downpours followed by hours of brilliant
sunshine, allowing water to be absorbed and evaporated. Only
one death is believed to be the direct result of the flooding
and landslides, but water mains and many houses were damaged.
The National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) hopes to soon
have fixed all the pipes that shifted as the land moved.
Schools without water storage tanks closed. Despite NAWASA's
best efforts, several neighborhoods in the city of St. George's
remain without water. NAWASA has provided free water throughout
the crisis to residents without tanks.
Portions of several cross island roads were undermined in spots
as the ground subsided. The GOG is trying to determine which
roads remain safe and which need immediate rebuilding. Other
roads were blocked by falling boulders and trees, which have
mostly been cleared away by local residents. A number of
unpaved country roads have been rendered nearly impassable, even
for pedestrians. Grenadians whose houses were pulled apart
and/or seriously cracked by the force of the land movement have
been left homeless; there are no firm numbers.
c. Governor General Swearing In Rescheduled
The hastily arranged November 19 special sitting of parliament
to swear in the new Governor General was canceled abruptly the
night before when the proper documentation had not arrived from
England. Post subsequently learned that no invitations had been
sent out and that the Prime Minister was not actually on the
island that day so attendance would have been sparse. To add to
the embarrassment, the Grenada Advocate (a local weekly)
included an article about the (phantom as it turned out)
swearing in. The paper clearly wrote the item and sent the
paper off to be published in Barbados before news of the
cancellation was made public.
The special session has now been rescheduled for November 27.
d. Government May Finally Outlaw Sand Mining
The GOG has proposed changes to the Beach Protection Act
outlawing a common local practice of sand mining, removing sand,
shingle, or gravel from the beach, the sea, and the shore.
Grenadians have long mined the coastal areas for sand and gravel
for the production of concrete. This has undermined a number of
the country's beaches and in one case to cause some graves in an
old cemetery to begin sliding into the sea.
Previous attempts to end the practice have led to strikes and
other actions against the proposals. The new factor appears to
be that Grenada's main concrete producer began to produce and
sell high-grade gravel this year.
MCISAAC