VZCZCXRO7964
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHGR #0150 2971255
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241255Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY GRENADA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0308
INFO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0334
RUEHGR/AMEMBASSY GRENADA 0373 UNCLAS GRENADA 000150 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:            
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: OCTOBER 7 - 13, 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 GWAR text: 
 
NO PRISONERS IN COURT FOR OPENING OF OCTOBER ASSIZES 
The October assizes, opened on October 9 without any of the 
prisoners whose cases were scheduled to be heard present.  As a 
result of the Grenada Bar Association's (GBA) public claim of a 
tuberculosis outbreak in the Richmond Hill Prison (Grenada's 
only prison) and statement that the lawyers feared for their 
lives, the lead High Court Judge ordered the prisoners kept out 
of court.  The refusal to allow prisoners into court has delayed 
cases already pushed back from the June assizes, when the June 
11-20 Grenada 13 re-sentencing kept other cases from being heard. 
 
Grenada's Chief Medical Officer and the Ministry of Health 
declared the GBA claims to be without substance.  Minister for 
Legal Affairs, Claris Charles called on GBA members to withdraw 
their inflammatory statements and attend to the `people's 
business'.  Charles said that she is concerned that persons were 
being denied access to the court system due to the actions of 
the GBA. 
 
Embassy Grenada has checked with local health officials and 
private doctors and been told that there is only one known 
active TB case in Grenada, a fisherman who is in the hospital 
being treated.  As a result of the controversy, the Ministry of 
Health is checking all prisoners.  Note: there are no AmCit 
prisoners in Grenada. 
 
POLICE OFFICERS TO GET PAY INCREASE 
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the Government 
of Grenada and the Police Welfare Association which provides 
fringe benefits and salary increases to members of the Royal 
Grenada Police Force (RGPF).   The MOU covers the period 2006 to 
 2009.  The last police pay raise took place in 2002. 
 
MORE RESIGNATIONS FROM PLM 
The resignation of four top members of the Peoples' Labor 
Movement (PLM) and the planned resignation of another two 
undercuts the viability of the party.  PLM was formed when 
Francis Alexis united his Democratic Labor Party (DLP) with 
remnants of the Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM) in 
 1999.  The former deputy leader, journalist Bernard Jones said 
he has since pledged his loyalties to the Gloria 
Payne-Banfield's side of the Grenada United Labor Party (GULP). 
 
PLM now joins GULP as internally dysfunctional.  Neither party 
appears capable of running an election campaign as their leaders 
quarrel over position and status. 
 
PM'S PRESS SECRETARY ASKS MEDIA GROUP TO APOLOGIZE 
The Prime Minister's Press Secretary, Barry Collymore called on 
Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG) president Michael 
Bascombe to apologize to the Governor General for accusing the 
Governor General and the Grenada Government of misleading the 
people in the Throne Speech, presented on Friday October 12, in 
which it was stated that Prime Minister Keith Mitchell presented 
a paper on climate change in New York to world leaders. 
Bascombe had claimed that President Bush and other leaders were 
not at the event during which Mitchell represented the small 
island states. 
 
MCISAAC