Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09GRENADA69
2009-07-24 15:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Grenada
Cable title:  

JULY 21 FAREWELL CALLS ON GRENADIAN OFFICIALS

Tags:  PREL GJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5903
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHGR #0069/01 2051554
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 241554Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY GRENADA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0595
INFO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0597
RUEHGR/AMEMBASSY GRENADA 0689
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GRENADA 000069 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR: JMITCHELL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL GJ
SUBJECT: JULY 21 FAREWELL CALLS ON GRENADIAN OFFICIALS

REF: A. GRENADA 67

B. STATE 73869

Summary

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GRENADA 000069

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR: JMITCHELL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL GJ
SUBJECT: JULY 21 FAREWELL CALLS ON GRENADIAN OFFICIALS

REF: A. GRENADA 67

B. STATE 73869

Summary


1. (SBU) During Chargi d'Affaires Karen Jo McIsaac's July 21
farewell calls, Government of Grenada officials thanked the
United States for its continuing assistance to Grenada. The
Minister for Foreign Affairs called for U.S. Government increase
assistance levels and issue visas in country, based on the
"special relationship" between Grenada and the United States.
The Prime Minister complained about criminal deportees to the
region. The Leader of the Opposition described the current PM
as weak. End summary.

FM Seeks More Assistance and Local Visa Processing


2. (SBU) Minister for Foreign Affairs, Peter David, expressed
concern to the Chargi that U.S. assistance to Grenada should
continue and be expanded. David reiterated repeatedly that
Grenada values the "special relationship" it enjoys with the
United States, based on "our common history" (especially the
1983 intervention). The Chargi followed up on a letter to the
Prime Minister from several U.S. Congressmen and recent
Department demarche asking that Grenada actively recognize
Kosovo's independence (reftels). She reminded the Minister that
the United States takes votes in international organizations
seriously and said we hoped Grenada's voting record would
support efforts to uphold human rights around the world.


3. (SBU) David asked whether visas might again be issued in
Grenada, as requiring Grenadians to apply in Bridgetown was
becoming an increasing hardship. The Chargi pointed out the
difficulties of handling visas in a small post such as Embassy
Grenada and declined to be pinned down on whether this might
change in the future.

Governor General Conveys Gratitude for U.S. Support


4. (SBU) Grenada's Governor General, Sir Carlyle Glean, was
finally knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on July 14, eight months
after he was sworn in. During a July 21 meeting, he thanked the
Chargi for her work in Grenada. Glean also thanked her for
providing information to him about the National Geographic
Geo-Tourism model which he said he was planning to use as he
engages with Grenadians on development projects. He had just
returned from Carriacou (the second largest island in the
tri-island state of Grenada) where he said he thought the model
would work especially well.

PM Thomas Welcomes Assistance, Laments Deportees


5. (SBU) Prime Minister Tillman Thomas thanked the United States
for its significant assistance following Hurricane Ivan (2004)
which was vital to the country's rebuilding process. He
expressed satisfaction with the April 2009 Summit of the
Americas in Port of Spain and Grenada's part in providing
support by allowing ten F15 fighter jets to stage security
flights from the island. The Chargi thanked him again for the
tremendous support the mission received from the GOG on very
short notice. She noted that the military command was impressed
by the level of support and the flexibility shown by the GOG.
The Chargi said that U.S security. assistance would continue,
adding that there would be additional anti-HIV/AIDS assistance
coming to the region from which Grenada would benefit. She also
reminded the PM that a USAID youth development program to
address his concerns about at-risk youth would come online in
October 2009.


6. (SBU) Among the issues the PM raised with Chargi was criminal
deportees from the United States to the region. Thomas
religiously brings the topic up in conversations with USG
officials, although when pressed, he acknowledges that
statistics provided to his government by the U.S. about
deportees to Grenada show that the deportees for the most part
are not involved in crime in Grenada. The Commissioner of
Police and Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) officers have
admitted as much to Chargi on several occasions. Thomas then
accused the United States of deporting an American citizen to
Grenada. The Chargi responded that she was not aware of any
cases of Americans being deported to Grenada, adding that such
an action would be contrary to U.S. law. While there was a case
of a Grenadian deportee in 2007 who claimed that he was an
American citizen and should not have been deported, the Chargi
had checked with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about
the case and learned that the individual was neither a legal
permanent resident nor an American citizen. He had entered the
U.S. on a non-immigrant visa and overstayed.


7. (SBU) Thomas asked whether a perceived promise made to him by
President Bush during a 2008 meeting to assist in the rebuilding

GRENADA 00000069 002 OF 002


Government House (the seat of Grenada's Parliament) would be
honored. Embassy Bridgetown forwarded the request to Washington
under the auspices of the Public Affairs cultural preservation
program in 2008. The Chargi promised to keep the project in
mind for possible future submission without committing the U.S.
to anything.


8. (SBU) The PM promised that Grenada would fix the staffing of
the country's Consulate General in New York City. An American
citizen has been acting as CG in New York, in violation of the
rules for an official bilateral presence. Thomas did not say
whether they would close the official office and appoint an
honorary consul or find a Grenadian who is neither a U.S.
citizen nor a permanent resident, to fill the position.

Opposition Leader Sees Weak Governance and Chaos


9. (SBU) The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Keith Mitchell met
briefly with Chargi. Mitchell, appearing relaxed and happy to
no longer have the responsibility of being Prime Minister, told
the Chargi that he is concerned that PM Thomas is too weak to
manage his ministers. The ministers appear to do what they
want, when they want, paying only lip service to the PM's
directives, leading to chaotic governance. Mitchell said it was
particularly damaging to Thomas' ability to run the country
when, during a June visit to New York City, he admitted that he
needed to reshuffle his cabinet and then did not follow through.
Mitchell suggested that several of the ministers were taking
advantage of that weakness to the detriment of the country.
Mitchell also thanked the U.S. for its assistance over the years
and particularly after Hurricane Ivan in 2004. He asked that
the United States remain actively engaged with Grenada.

Comment


10. (SBU) Grenadian officials are genuinely pleased with the
assistance Grenada receives from the United States. However,
they appear baffled by what they perceive as U.S. indifference
to the so-called "special relationship based on our shared
history," as FM David puts it. The irony of course is that
David avoids most events publicly extolling that relationship,
including last year's twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1983
intervention by the U.S. and Caribbean forces to help restore
order in Grenada after the country's revolutionary government
imploded. David has never taken us up on our offers to arrange
appointments with appropriate Administration officials when he
is in Washington, though he has taken multiple trips there since
the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won a majority of the
seats in Parliament on July 8, 2008 general elections. David
was a captain in the People's Revolutionary Army (PRA),active
in revolutionary affairs, and remains very close to the
Government of Cuba. End comment.
MCISAAC