GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT JUNE 23 - JULY 1, 2008

UNCLAS GRENADA 000093 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ELAB PGOV SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT JUNE 23 - JULY 1, 2008 ¶1. (U) Embassy Grenada's weekly report (GWAR) provides a little detail about events of interest that do not merit longer reporting at this time. ¶2. (U) Begin GWAR text: a. Intellectual Property Laws Proposed for Parliamentary Review According to the Registrar of the Grenada Supreme Court, Robert Branch, the Government of Grenada is to enact 14 pieces of legislation that will make it easier for citizens, engaged in the creative industries, to protect their intellectual property. Branch told participants at a workshop on the protection of intellectual property rights that draft submission of the14 pieces of legislation was sent to the World Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) for its consideration. Branch hopes that the legislation will receive parliamentary approval by December this year. Parliament is currently suspended for the July 8 elections. b. Government and Trade Unions End Pension Dispute Prime Minister Keith Mitchell government announced that agreement was reached with two trade unions for the reintroduction of a public officers pension scheme. The pension plan in place was disbanded by the People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) in the 1980s. According to the PM, the powerful Public Workers Union (PWU) and the Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT) have agreed to a phased implementation of the scheme and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) will play a key role in the new pension arrangement. The plan was created with assistance from the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC). Critics see this development as an election gimmick on the part of the Mitchell led government in order to win votes at the general election. c. Former COP Arrested on Assault Charge Former Commissioner of Police and NNP candidate for the parish of St. John, Fitzroy Bedeau, on July 1 was charged with assaulting a 17-year old student. Both leaders of the main political parties have called on their party supporters for tolerance. Police have reported an increase in violent incidents during this election campaign. They include burning of party t-shirts, vandalizing of billboards and physical abuse. Bedeau is due in court on July 15. MCISAAC