HELLO GRENADA

Drip Disclosure!! Emerging Strategy of Grenada’s Prime Minister The much anticipated visit to the IMF by Grenada’s Prime Minister and his delegation has come and gone. The nation held its breath as it was understood that Dr. Mitchell was supposed to issue a “Letter of Intent” to the IMF which sets out the policy orientation of the government as it relates to its “Home Grown “Structural Adjustment Program. By all appearances, that letter has not been issued. However the contents seem to be a well guarded secret as discreet enquiries with NNP insiders suggest that only the “Chief” and his close confidant Timothy Antoine, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, actually know what is enshrined therein. The truth is that the Prime Minister has engaged personally with the Committee of Social Partners in an effort to attract their support. The Committee comprises the Council of Churches, Trades Union Council and the Inter Agency Group of Non- Governmental Organizations. This foru...

Political Jobs, Unintended Scourge of Political Independence Our former colonial masters applied social status and skin colour to dispense some jobs in the colonial civil service. These standards were also applied in the banks and commercial houses which was then owned or managed by the pro colonial elite in St George’s. The advent of expanded educational opportunities provided more skilled or certified persons to the labour force. The rapid expansion of primary and secondary school education under Sir Eric Gairy, improved literacy levels in the society and undermined elitist structures in the country. Sir Eric himself established his own merchant class with firms like Importers Combined, Ben Davis, Central Sales and others. All of this evolved from the post war period to what it is now. In 1974, the island attained independence; the country’s citizens assumed control of our destiny. As the political struggle to control state power intensified, the tendency for the party in office...

Grenada’s Supervisor of Elections fired by the Governor General Judy Benoit, Supervisor of Elections, was given marching orders by new Governor General Dame Cecile La Grenade. Ms. Benoit received the letter which tersely states that her “services were no longer required”. This surprise move comes against the backdrop of what the OAS observer mission described as a well run national poll in February 2013. The CARICOM observer mission also echoed the sentiments expressed by their OAS counterparts that the election process was efficient and they too described the elections as “free and fair”. This turn of events has as its genesis in a letter from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works which purports to give direction to the supervisor in the exercise of her functions. Section 35 subsection 6 of the Constitution of Grenada states ;”In the exercise of his functions under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Supervisor of Elections shall not be subject to the direction...

Grenada- Playground of signature Investors and Mixed Fortunes Over the years, Grenada has welcomed and done business with a whole array of foreign investors with mixed results. In the early seventies under the GULP administration of Sir Eric Gairy, one John Clancy somersaulted to our shores as a significant investor. The now Port Louis , Grenada Yacht Services (GYS), was the site of the legendary “Clancy Island” reputed to have been the haunt of ladies plying their nightly trade. Back then Grenada was a home of a thriving yacht industry with an array of modest berthing facilities, repair shops dominated by the renowned LW Ross aka “Caca bright”. Mr. Clancy was reputed as a man of the world and his love for huge American cars was legendary. Little is known of how he got here or what incentives Sir Eric provided but the flash and glamour of Clancy Island occupied the minds of locals for a generation. News emerged that Mr. Clancy was wanted in the United States on charges related t...

Home Grown What? In a surprise move, the Government of Grenada announced that it will pursue a “Home Grown” program of Structural Reform and fiscal adjustment with support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This concept was first introduced by the NDC administration led by Nicholas Braithwaite with the late George Brizan being the chief architect. Mr. Brizan assembled a team of local technocrats (which included the present Minister of Education Anthony Boatswain) together with notable regional economists to include Prof Crompton Bourne to draw up a detailed plan to address the country’s economic problems. Grenada then was un-creditworthy, the result of many years of poor fiscal management and failed economic policies pursued by the New National Party (NNP). It took a considerable amount of political will and resolve to achieve the success which Mr. Brizan piloted. The present administration has enormous limitations. The present NNP is largely to blame for our predicame...

Government About to Sign Secret Deal with the IMF The Ministry of Finance reported today September 25th instant, that the Government wishes to report “significant progress’ in its discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The news release further states that the IMF agreed to support Grenada in its “home grown programme’ of fiscal adjustment and structural reforms. We, the people, were further informed that discussions will conclude in October 2013 when the Prime Minister attends the annual IMF/World Bank meeting in Washington.  After reaching agreement, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell will issue a “Letter of Intent” to the IMF. This letter describes the policies that Grenada intends to implement in the context of its request for financial support from the IMF. While the Government has met with stakeholders, the vast majority of Grenadians has not been involved in this major exercise that will affect negatively their lives. These closed door meetings had little o...

NNP put Grenada in a Monkey Pants In recent days, the Prime Minister has been making all kinds of noises about what he will or will not accept from the IMF as a Structural Adjustment Program. Like mouth open, word jump out!! The Keith Mitchell led NNP government has little or no credibility with international creditors. In the 2005 restructuring exercise, they assured the creditors that Grenada will produce an annual growth rate of 4.7%. That was a “pie in the sky” assumption. Besides the effects of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, the same NNP leadership gave a license to De Bourg to operate CAPBANK where Grenadians lost over $40 million. Reports indicate that SGL also soaked over $80 million from the pockets of we the people. The recklessness of the NNP administration during the period 1995-2008 is responsible for this monkey pants that all Grenadians will be asked to wear. They neglected agriculture, not a single new hotel room was built (only promises); they left the cou...