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”.