VZCZCXYZ0014
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #0941/01 2042011
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 232011Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5130
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1773
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000941 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2017 
TAGS: PGOV GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA VISIT OF ROBERT CARHART 
 
REF: BRIDGETOWN 930 
 
Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  INR analyst Robert Carhart arrived in 
Grenada on June 28, for a one-day orientation visit.  With 
rumors floating around Grenada that the Prime Minister might 
call elections either in the fall of 2007 or in early 2008, 
Charge d'Affaires Karen Jo McIsaac and Carhart met with 
political party officials from the ruling New National Party 
(NNP) and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). 
They also met with Grenada's Chief Forestry Official and had 
lunch with the resident OAS representative.  END SUMMARY 
 
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Charge and Carhart met briefly with Grenada's Chief 
Forestry Official Allan Joseph to pass on a message from 
USDA.  Charge was asked by Minister for Agriculture Gregory 
Bowen for help on phyto-sanitary issues so that Grenada might 
export fruits and vegetables to the United States.  Charge 
passed to Joseph the message from regional USDA Attache Omar 
Gonzalez, resident in Miami, that the ministry should provide 
the USDA with specific ideas about required training. 
 
¶3.  (U) Joseph responded to Charge's question about 
conditions at the Mt. Hartman dove sanctuary.  He said that 
the government had been close to signing a memorandum of 
understanding with the NGO RARE to upgrade the sanctuary with 
an interpretation center and trails, but that was put on hold 
when news of a possible deal with Four Seasons arose.  At any 
rate, the entire sanctuary area is fenced, according to 
Joseph.  There is security for the area during the day, but 
not at night.  Joseph added that there is a security system, 
but he is not sure it works properly. 
 
NEW NATIONAL PARTY 
------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Carhart and Charge met with several members of the 
NNP Executive Committee, including Tony Joseph, Terry 
Forrester, and Kennedy Roberts.  Discussion centered around 
the May 15 reorganization of the Cabinet, including the 
creation of a new Ministry for Economic Development and 
Planning.  The group pointed to the new ministry as the way 
forward to ensure sustainable development.  The GOG has spent 
the last few years building, and then rebuilding after 
Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, the infrastructure of roads, 
clinics, schools, etc.  The party is now planning to focus on 
building strong institutions.  One of the NNP's primary goals 
is to improve education and training.  St. George's 
University has apparently agreed to develop an institute for 
management training to help prepare Grenada's youth for 
future jobs.  Joseph asked when the U.S. would provide 
scholarships for the Caribbean.  Charge responded that 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee has proposed legislation to that 
effect, and we hope that will get through. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The NNP does not have to call elections until early 
¶2009.  Current party focus is on registering voters and 
organizing the party in anticipation of the vote.  A major 
effort is underway to communicate NNP accomplishments and 
proposed program to the people in a coordinated way 
throughout the year, rather than just before elections. 
Joseph noted that the NNP has not been very good at public 
relations and the party hopes to improve.  In response to a 
question, Charge noted that the U.S. does not take sides and 
that we expect free, fair, and transparent elections. 
 
¶6.  (C) The just concluded re-sentencing of the Grenada 13 
(ref A) has dominated local discussion.  The NNP reps pointed 
out that Prime Minister Keith Mitchell has called on 
Grenadians to accept the ruling, though he did say it was a 
"sad day for Grenada".  According to Joseph, Mitchell is out 
addressing the people about the re-sentencing nearly every 
night, to ensure the country remains calm.  Roberts asked 
where the U.S. has the bodies of assassinated Prime Minister 
Maurice Bishop and those killed with him on October 19, 1983. 
 Charge responded that the U.S. does not have the bodies and 
we have shared what we knew with the Truth and Reconciliation 
Commission. 
 
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS 
---------------------------- 
¶7.  (SBU) Carhart and Charge met with Tillman Thomas, Peter 
David, and Glynis Roberts of the primary opposition political 
party National Democratic Congress (NDC).  Roberts left after 
about fifteen minutes and the remainder of the meeting was 
dominated by David.  Thomas opened the meeting by requesting 
information on whether or not Prime Minister Mitchell and 
Foreign Minister Elvin Nimrod had in fact renounced their 
U.S. citizenship.  Thomas said he had recently heard that 
they had not, though they claimed they had.  Charge explained 
that they would have to seek the information directly from 
Mitchell and Nimrod; that we do not discuss consular matters 
with third parties.  She went on to explain the U.S. privacy 
act, which appeared to satisfy the men. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Charge asked whether the NDC has issued its 
platform - what the NDC is for - since mostly what she has 
been hearing is what the NDC is against.  Thomas responded 
that the party will very soon set out its platform and 
provided a summary of what he indicated would become the 
official program.  Thomas added that the NDC expects the 
Prime Minister will call elections in the fall of 2007, 
probably in November.  The NDC hopes to be ready. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) David accused the U.S. of neglecting Grenada and 
the Eastern Caribbean.  He also declared that Prime Minister 
Mitchell is a dictator and that the U.S. indifference is 
allowing him to continue.  David added that Grenadian 
institutions are weak and there is growing violence.  Thomas 
said the U.S. must provide scholarships to Caribbean students 
because it is owed to them.  Carhart and Charge pointed out 
that the U.S. requires that students take personal initiative 
to explore the opportunities available to them, that it is 
difficult to make the argument to the U.S. taxpayer that they 
should fund something that is not available to their own 
children.  Thomas conceded the point.  As with the NNP, 
Charge reminded them that Congresswoman Barbara Lee has a 
draft bill proposing Caribbean scholarships, which we hope 
will move forward.  She also told them about the information 
available to students through the TAMCC counseling center. 
 
¶10.  (U) Thomas and David were interested in how they can 
improve their connections with the USG.  Charge suggested 
they meet with the Department's Office of Caribbean Affairs 
as a first step.  When David asked about Congress, Charge 
suggested that he work with the Grenadian Ambassador in 
Washington to set up appointments. 
 
OAS RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE 
--------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Carhart and Charge had lunch with the Resident 
Representative of the Organization of American States, 
Francis McBarnette.  McBarnette believes elections will be 
held soon, either late this year or early next year.  He 
asked for U.S. assistance for an election observer mission, 
acknowledging that not knowing when elections would be called 
makes it hard to plan.  Charge explained that funding might 
be a problem, but added that Embassy Grenada and Embassy 
Bridgetown would likely come up with some observers.  Carhart 
volunteered to come down and help out.  McBarnette said the 
new Deputy Secretary General likes to be active and might be 
willing to head the delegation. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) When asked about the re-sentencing of the Grenada 
13, McBarnette commented the he knows Justice Belle, who was 
accused of bias in favor of the defendants.  McBarnette told 
Charge and Carhart that in a room of lawyers, Belle was the 
last person he would have expected to make it to that level, 
that he is not particularly bright and easily led. 
 
¶13.  (C) COMMENT:  During the visit to the NNP Headquarters, 
it was noted that some NNPers were apologetic about the state 
of their facility and grounds.  In spite of this the NNPers 
were well organized, in contrast to their counterparts in the 
NDC offices.  The general state of readiness, holding town 
hall meetings, etc. were quite impressive.  The NDC did have 
some valid points; including education in Grenada (although 
it did reek of Peter David's self-promotion and his own 
desire for power).  It was also noted how infrequently 
Tillman Thomas spoke up during the meeting especially 
considering he is the ostensible party leader; he is clearly 
a tool for others like Peter David, who harbors perhaps more 
ambition and energy than Thomas.  Thomas has more useful 
street credibility given his past; how much that translates 
into useable political currency may be a different matter, as 
is David's assertion of public ennui with Mitchell and crew. 
EN COMMENT. 
OURISMAN