GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 31- DECEMBER 6,

UNCLAS GRENADA 000150 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM SOCI KHIV PREL GJ SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 31- DECEMBER 6, 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. Grenadians Succumb to Online Scams Grenadians continue to lose money to online scams. Grenada's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) warned the public to use greater caution with regard to internet offers that may be too good to be true and supposedly personal appeals. In one case, a Grenadian was scammed out of close to US$44,000. The head of the FIU warned that some of the money might be going to support terrorist activity. b. Grenada and Cuba reach agreement An agreement was reached following a two-day meeting between the Government of Grenada and representatives of the Government of Cuba, to continue cooperation in the fields of health care, education and human resource development, agriculture, and works, sports and culture. Under the agreement, Grenadians will continue to have the opportunity to study in Cuban Universities in traditional areas such as mechanical and electrical engineering, medicine, economics and architecture. Over the last twenty years, more than 300 Grenadians have received training in Cuba, the majority at university level. For the current academic year 23 Grenadians have been awarded scholarship to Cuban universities. There are currently a total of 74 students in Cuba. c. Grenada's PM set to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS Prime Minister Tillman Thomas met with officials of the World Bank, Ministry of Health and the Aids Directorate to discuss a central approach to managing Grenada's efforts to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. The Prime Minister said the Government of Grenada will give whatever support is required in the fight against the spread of HIV /AIDS. He committed to ensuring that "persons living with HIV and their families, as well as the HIV-related orphans, enjoy every opportunity to live a full life. d. GOG and EU sign agreement According to The Grenadian Voice, the Government of Grenada and the European Commission last week signed the strategy paper which provides a framework for the EU to provide assistance to Grenada under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) for the period 2008 - 2013. This gives Grenada access to ECU6 million (US$7.75 million) as part of the program for EU aid. ECU3.2 million (US$4.13 million) has been set aside for emergency use. The rest will be used to support Grenada's Human Settlement Policy. Much of the money will be spent hooking to electricity and water supplies the homes built by the Venezuelans and to be built by the PRC in the wake of Hurricane Ivan. MCISAAC