Interim president calls for Murray’s reinstatement

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Jan 27 (CMC) – Garvin Taylor, the Grenada Cricket Association’s interim president, wants Junior Murray reinstated to the Windward Islands team for the remaining matches of the regional first-class tournament. And Taylor said that the GCA would be launching an investigation into the 39-year old’s omission from the lineup prior to the last series of matches. “We (GCA) will be attempting to get to the bottom of this issue,” Taylor said. “Based on what we have been told thus far, Murray needs to be reinstated and also deserves an apology.” The selectors issued a statement last December stating that Murray had agreed to quit at the end of the 2007 Carib Beer Series. Murray later denied he discussed his retirement with any selectors. “I think that people are trying to get me out of it,” the former Test wicketkeeper/batsman claimed. Windward Islands enter the fourth round of the Carib Beer Series at the cellar position on seven points. They play third-placed Trinidad and Tobago, on 20 points, at Guaracara Park.

GOC president wants developmental approach to sports

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Jan 27 (CMC) – President of the Grenada Olympic Committee (GOC) Royston La Hee wants a more structured approach in developing sports on the island. La Hee said a developmental platform was needed in order to lift the level of awareness of the sports among young people. As a result, the long-standing sports administrator has called for compulsory physical education programmes in schools. “The government needs to understand the importance and the value of sports to the community and to ensure that things are put in place to manifest this,” La Hee said in a radio interview on Saturday. He said that a lack of interest in sports was primarily responsible for the inability to initiate proper club structures. “You need people to volunteer and they must be encouraged,” said La Hee who has been at the helm of the GOC for more than 20 years. In reviewing the activities of 2006, La Hee said sporting programmes continued to be played despite the problems of facilities and proper organisation. “We have a massive stadium and it will be a challenge to get people to fill it after the World Cup (cricket),” he argued. He also noted that swimming and tennis had improved but expressed disappointment with the development of table tennis and volleyball.

Francique & Regis are favourites for Sports Awards

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Jan 27 – Grenada’s world ranked athlete Alleyne Francique is among favourites for the Sportsman for 2006 at the National Sports Award Ceremony taking place here on Saturday. Francique, who arrived here earlier this week, is a frontrunner for the annual sports award organised by the Grenada Olympic Committee. He retained the World Indoor 400-metre title last year March in Russia and a few weeks later, captured silver at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. He has been named the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) world male athlete of the year for 2006 and is expected to receive this award at Saturday’s ceremony. Hazel-Ann Regis, who opened her 2007 indoor season with a second-place finish in the women’s 200m at the Norwich Union International in Glasgow on Saturday, is favoured for the women’s title. Regis completed 2006 as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) 21st ranked athlete in the 400m. She won the Carolina Classics in Puerto Rico in May, recorded her season’s best 50.94 at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Gateshead in June and was the silver medallist at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia in July. Other contenders for the titles are West Indies cricketer Rawl Lewis; Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) lightweight novice silver medallist Jude Daniel and Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) swimming sensation, Tuesday Watts. Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell is the guest speaker for the award ceremony.

Former House Speaker calls for more intelligent debate in Parliament

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada, Jan 22 (CMC) - A former Speaker is calling for more intelligent debate among Grenadian parliamentarians. George McGuire in a radio interview here on Sunday, said that legislators need to maintain proper standards. The current Speaker of the House, Lawrence Joseph, was publicly criticised for allowing the budget debate last December to degenerate into personal attacks. During that debate, Opposition legislators walked out after accusing the Speaker of being biased towards the the Keith Mitchell government, saying he sought to prevent them from speaking about a Commission of Inquiry which is investigating allegations of bribery against the Prime Minister. "I'm calling for a new national standard to which all Grenadians can subscribe," McGuire said. "I'm calling for a climate of intelligent debate in our houses. I think it's well-known that in this last debate the whole situation deteriorated badly." McGuire, a former Education Minister, said that there were standards of honour and integrity to which all members of the House ought to subscribe and it's the duty of the Speaker of the House to sustain, enhance and preserve these standards. McGuire was elected House Speaker shortly after the New National Party (NNP) of Prime Minister Mitchell was sworn in for a third consecutive term but was succeeded by Joseph, a former chairman of the NNP.

Grenada PM holds talks with St Lucia counterpart

CASTRIES, St Lucia, Jan 17 (CMC) - Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell Wednesday held talks with his St. Lucian counterpart, Sir John Compton, on issues of importance to the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). A brief statement issued after wards said that the leaders had a successful round of talks and they discussed “several regional and international issues important to Grenada, St. Lucia and the OECS”. “The two leaders spent just over two hours today speaking about World Cup Cricket; the functioning of the OECS Supreme Court; the OECS Economic Union; the CSME (Caribbean Single Market and Economy) and its impact on the OECS. The statement said Mitchell and Sir John, who was elected to office in December last year, also discussed “international relations and the European Union and its role in the diversification of regional economies”. “Sir John and Prime Minister Mitchell also agreed on the need for a Code of Ethics among regional Prime Ministers to regulate the involvement of leaders in elections of other Caribbean states,” the statement said. Mitchell had chastised fellow OECS heads for appearing on political platforms in support of the St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) during the run-up to the general election in St. Lucia. The statement said that Mitchell gave an update on the reconstruction exercise in his country following the damage caused by two successive hurricanes a few years ago. It said he also paid a courtesy call on Opposition Leader Kenny Anthony “where he conveyed best wishes to him in his new role”.

Francique denies receiving government assistance

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Jan 16 (CMC) – Grenada's history-making World Indoor 400-metre champion Alleyne Francique has denied receiving any promised assistance from the Grenada government. Finance Minister Anthony Boatswain said the government has provided assistance to Francique, although no decision has been made on how to honour him. "Francique received certain rewards from government, finances and otherwise", Boatswain said in a radio interview in St. George's. In 2004, Francique became the first Grenadian athlete to win a global title in track and field when he captured the World Indoor 400-metre gold medal in Budapest, Hungary. He retained the title last year March in Russia and a few weeks later, captured silver at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. "In terms of honouring him – he is still a young man and I believe his time will come. It's not a posthumous situation we're dealing with," Boatswain said. "He is still in his prime and whatever honour due to him will come, in the fullness of time". However, Francique has refuted the minister's statement, saying that he is yet to receive any of the promises made to him. "I've heard a lot of people saying that I received land and money as promised in the lead-up to the Olympic Games (Athens) but that's just talk," Francique said from his training base in College Station. "I was given a diplomatic passport, and that's all. I have won a medal in all major meets except the Olympics and that's all I was given," said Francique, who finished fourth at the Athens Olympics. Francique, the world’s fourth-ranked 400-metre athlete, said his major concern at this time is the excitement over World Cup cricket at the expense of track and field, which has produced some world ranked athletes for the country. "What is being done about the track and field stadium damaged by (Hurricane) Ivan three years ago?" he queried. Francique, who plans to skip the indoor season, is preparing for the Pan American Games in Brazil this summer and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan in August. He was a bronze medallist at the 2003 Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic and has been named the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) world male athlete of the year for 2006.

Grenada to unveil PR programme ahead of VAT implementation

ST GEORGES, Grenada, Jan 16 (CMC) - The Grenada government is pressing ahead with plans to introduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) by October 1 this year, officials her said Tuesday. They said in this regarded a public education programme will soon be launched to give Grenadians an introduction to the new tax which will replace a number of other taxes, including the General Consumption Tax, Airline Ticket Tax and Motor Vehicle Purchase Tax. A government release said the main plank of this education programme will be a White Paper which will contain the policies and proposals upon which VAT would be implemented and administered. The Keith Mitchell administration said the White Paper, to be launched on January 23, is "in keeping with the government’s commitment to consult with stakeholders on major policy issues". Grenada will join a number of Caribbean countries which have changed their tax system to the VAT. Guyana introduced a 16 per cent VAT on January 1 this year to widespread complaints from consumers and merchants who say they do not understand the new tax system.

US company offers settlement to Grenada Government in oil exploration dispute

NEW YORK, USA, Jan 14, (CMC) - An American oil exploration company said it has offered a settlement proposal in its ongoing dispute with the Grenada Government over a licence for the exploration for oil and natural gas in the island’s territorial waters. However, RSM Production Corporation has maintained that the allegations made against Energy Minister Gregory Bowen would stand if no settlement is reached. In November, RSM filed a US$500 million lawsuit against the Minister, accusing him of denying the company a licence to explore for oil and natural gas in Grenada's territorial waters because of its refusal to offer him a bribe. The Minister has denied the bribery allegations saying that the company had no intentions of exploration but was following a method of making agreements and selling off interests in those agreements to others. However, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, RSM's Chairman Jack Grynberg outlined proposals for the settlement of the dispute. "RSM has been in discussions with a potential partner and operator for a controlling interest of the RSM Grenada production licence which, if acceptable to the Government of Grenada, could potentially provide a means to resolve the dispute. "RSM will undertake to end both the arbitration in front of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes and the court action filed in the United States District Court should we be able to find a way to confirm the award of the licence to RSM. "Furthermore I would then arrange for a full public apology to Minister Bowen," Grynberb said. Daniel Abrams, one of the lawyers representing the Colorado-based company Wednesday confirmed a letter was sent to the Government with the settlement proposal. "The apology was something that Gregory Bowen had demanded before he would agree to the settlement so for the sake of the settlement, RSM was prepared to tender an apology," Abrams told CMC from his Manhattan office. "This is not uncommon and it's not an admission that any of the allegations are false but rather an attempt to resolve the matter". The Minister has been severely criticised in Grenada with some calling for his resignation over his handling of the negotiations with RSM.

Francique and Harrigan head OECS sports awards

By Lance Whittaker CASTRIES, St Lucia, Jan 10, (CMC) – Track and field stars Alleyne Francique and Tahesia Harrigan have emerged winners of the first ever Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Joseph “Reds” Perreira Awards. The inaugural Joseph Perreira Trophy presentations will be made to Grenada’s Francique and Harrigan, of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for the international successes they achieved in 2006. These new awards are designed to honour the sub-region’s elite athletes who hardly qualified for previous OECS sports awards because only performances within the Caribbean region were considered. For the regular OECS Caribbean level awards in 2006, St Lucian distance runner Zephrinus Joseph and Grenadian swimmer Tuesday Watts were picked for the male and female crowns, respectively. A panel of regional journalists met with the OECS last Thursday to pick the award winners. Francique’s biggest triumph in 2006 was his repeat 400-metre championship victory at the IAAF World Indoors in Moscow, defeating Botswana’s Cal Molefe and Bahamian Chris Brown for the gold medal. Francique, who had won the 400 gold at the 2004 World Indoor Championship in Hungary, clocked 45.54 seconds for his victory. Later in March, Francique also won silver at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, and he took silver at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia in July. Francique’s results on the prestigious European circuit included several Top-3 finishes including victory at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in 44.94 seconds. He also placed second at the Lille European Athletic Association (EAA) and Germany’s Rehlingen meets in June, third at the Monaco Super Grand Prix and second at the Zagreb World Athletics Tour meet in August. Francique also placed third at the Rieti Grand Prix in a personal season’s best 44.64 seconds, making him the fastest Caribbean runner over the distance during 2006. Other contenders for the trophy were the Nevisian West Indies batsman Runako Morton and Grenada’s football star Jason Roberts, who had a splendid season for newly promoted Wigan in the English premier league. Honourable mention was given to a number of outstanding OECS athletes which included cricketers Darren Sammy, Tonito Willett, Sylvester Joseph, and Devon Smith, footballers Ezra Hendrickson, Atiba Harris, Keith Gumbs and Shalrie Joseph. Harrigan was chosen for the Joseph Perreira Trophy as the best OECS female (international) athlete, after winning the gold medal in the 100 metres at the CAC Games in a near meet-record 11.15 seconds, a first for any female athlete from the BVI. She also won the 100 metres at the Drake Relays in the USA, defeating Bahamian Olympic 200-metre bronze medallist Debbie Ferguson and reigning World 200-metre champion Allyson Felix, of the USA. Harrigan scored six wins in Europe including the sprint double at the Resisprint International in Switzerland in August. Other contenders for the female trophy were St Vincent and the Grenadines’ super basketballer Sophia Young and Kittitian sprinter Virgil Hodge. Honourable mention was given to a number of outstanding OECS female athletes, including track and field competitors Lavern Spencer, Kineke Alexander and Hazel Ann Regis. Watts surfaced almost unchallenged as OECS sportswoman of the year (Caribbean) for the third year in a row while Joseph copped his first male prize. Watts is the only Grenadian making qualifying times for the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil and after winning two gold and two silver medals at the CARIFTA meet, she went on to collect three gold and one silver at the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championship (CISC). She also captured eight gold medals at the OECS swim meet and set six new national records in 2006. Other contenders were St Lucia’s high jumper Lavern Spencer and swimmer Danni Beaubrun. Joseph was the dominant force in regional distance running in 2006, capturing a cluster of Half Marathon titles, including the OECS Half Marathon, Tobago and the Run Barbados Half Marathon in which he topped a quality field that included Kenyans, Americans and Canadians. Joseph, who scored five victories over previously dominant Caribbean road-racer Pamenos during the year, also won the Sandals 10K in St Lucia and other 10K events in Antigua and St Vincent and the Grenadines and he got Top-3 finishes in 15K races in Martinique and Guadeloupe, the UWI Half Marathon and the Barbados 10K. Other contenders for OECS Male (Caribbean) were Grenadian cricket captain Rawl Lewis and last year’s winner Trevor Levine, from St Kitts and Nevis, who recovered from serious kidney trouble early in the year to log victories in three Caribbean golf tournaments -- St Maarten, St Lucia and Antigua.

Government official threatens legal action against Opposition Leader

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada, Jan 10 (CMC) - Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas said Wednesday he is prepared to defend his statement regarding the Office of the Attorney General in a private legal matter involving a senior government official. "We have strong points why we should take that position," Tillman told reporters after hearing that Legal Advisor to the Cabinet, Hugh Wildman had indicated that he would be filing a suit against the Opposition Leader over his remarks. "I'm going to sue the Leader of the Opposition for the statements he made about government paying my legal fee," Wildman said making reference to his legal battle with the Judicial and Legal Services Commission of the Eastern Caribbean States. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Wildman showed reporters correspondence indicating that he had paid British Queen Counsel James Guthrie GBP15,000 (US$29,000) for his services. "I can also confirm that there has been no agreement between Mr. Guthrie and the Attorney General or any other representative of the Government of Grenada with regard to your case. Mr. Guthrie was instructed by you," said the document dated January 9, 2007. One local newspaper had suggested that Guthrie had been paid EC$1 million (US$370,000) for his services. But Thomas said he was not in a position to confirm the newspaper story, adding that he had a copy of the document, filed in the Court of Grenada on December 1 last year, stating that the Office of the Attorney General is to act on the behalf of Mr. Wildman in that private matter. "What I'm stating, once the Attorney General's Chamber is representing somebody that is a cost on the Government and people of Grenada" Thomas said. Thomas said that it was his responsibility as Opposition Leader to seek to ensure that government offices were not used to facilitate private and personal affairs. "The attorney General is the legal advisor to the Government and people of Grenada and you cannot use the Attorney General's Chambers for private proceedings," he added.

Grenada PM threatens to sue media houses

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada, Jan 10 (CMC) - Prime Minister Keith Mitchell Wednesday threatened to take legal action against sections of the local media claiming that he had been libelled by them. While Mitchell did not disclose the names of the media houses, he said his lawyers would be taking the necessary action soon. "There are one or two radio stations who have said things recently, they will be sued. It's coming, they probably thought they got away but I have the facts now and I will deal with it, and some other media people, I am not sitting on this," he said Wednesday while appearing on a radio talk show here. Mitchell's threat comes amidst persistent calls here by some groups for the re-opening of an inquiry into allegations that the Prime Minister had received a sum of money from Eric Resteiner, a former Grenada trade representative. In 2004 Governor General Sir Daniel Williams appointed Barbadian attorney-at-law Sir Richard Cheltenham as the sole commissioner to investigate the allegations made against Mitchell resulting from a trip to Switzerland in 2000. After five days of public hearing the commission was adjourned on June 17, 2005 and no date has been given for its resumption. Mitchell has consistently denied the allegation in what has been dubbed here "the brief case issue". He has warned media houses in the past that he would seek legal redress should he be libeled or slandered by their reports. The Prime Minister reiterated that position on Wednesday. "You have to face the consequences of attacking me, and therefore whatever I know about you I will deal with it as long as what you say about me is not true. "I will not sit and allow you to damage Keith Mitchell because he has struggled to make this person reach where he's at today. I will not sit back and allow the office of the prime minister to be destroyed or be reduced to nothing," he warned. Last week, the country's umbrella trade union body, the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), wrote Attorney General Elvin Nimrod urging him not to shrink his responsibility and do whatever it takes to acquire a controversial videotape that allegedly shows Mitchell receiving the money in Switzerland in June 2000 from Resteiner.

Grenada PM comments on possible release of so called "Grenada 17"

ST. GEORGE'S Grenada, Jan 10 (CMC) - Prime Minister Keith Mitchell Wednesday said that his administration had not yet taken a position on whether or not to release the remaining 13 prisoners from the so called 'Grenada 17'. Mitchell, speaking on local radio, said that he had to address the issue because Grenadians were concerned that the prisoners would be set free after three had completed their sentences in December last year. "While not taking a position on whether this has to happen or not, I just need to clarify some fundamental issues," Mitchell said. "There are a number of local lawyers here who happen to be associated with the (parliamentary opposition) National Democratic Congress that have been taking initiatives and costing the government lots of money filing cases at all levels of the court system including the Privy Council to have the members up there released. "We are a government of laws. There is a case right now before the Privy Council and if they rule in the 17's favour, we have no choice but to obey it. But it must be clear that the government has been defending what we perceive to be…the interest of the vast majority of Grenadians." Mitchell said that his government was not yet prepared to take a position as to whether or not the prisoners should be released, since it could be interpreted as interfering with a matter which is before the courts. "If the court rules, we have no choice but to obey the orders of the court," Mitchell reiterated. Andy Mitchell, Vincent Joseph and Cosmos Richardson were released from the Richmond Hill Prison in December 2006. They were among 17, including former Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard, who were convicted on 11 counts of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of left wing Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and several other members of his cabinet during a palace coup in 1983.