VZCZCXRO9898
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHGR #0107 2130251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 310251Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY GRENADA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0463
INFO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0497
RUEHGR/AMEMBASSY GRENADA 0542

UNCLAS GRENADA 000107 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN SOCI GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT JULY 20 - 26, 2008 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy Grenada's weekly report (GWAR) provides a little 
detail about events of interest that do not merit longer 
reporting at this time. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin GWAR text: 
 
SGL Holdings Ltd. In Trouble 
a. A Turks & Caicos-based currency trading financial company 
with an office in Grenada, SGL Holdings Ltd., appears to be in 
trouble.  Customers have been unable to access monies they 
invested in the company; the minimum required was US$1,000.  On 
July 21, the company issued a statement saying it is facing some 
challenges due to an investigation of its trader.  Details 
remain murky about how the company operates and what exactly is 
being investigated. 
 
Grenada has been the launching pad for a number of pyramid-like 
schemes over the years.  It is to be hoped that this is not the 
latest addition. 
 
b. Grenada to Field an Olympic Team of Nine 
Grenada's Olympic team of 12 athletes and trainers head to 
Beijing shortly.  Eight of the nine athletes will compete in 
various track and field events.  The ninth athlete is a boxer. 
British investor, Peter de Savery, donated US$10,000 to the 
Grenada Olympic Committee to make the trip for athletes and 
trainers possible. 
 
c. Carnival 2008 Heats Up! 
Preparations hampered somewhat by July 8 elections, Carnival 
2008 finally shifted into full gear during the week of July 20. 
Soca, Soca Monarch, Groovy Soca, and Queen competitions are in 
full swing.  Some big name participants did not show up for Ole 
Mas but the audience had a good time anyway.  Despite the last 
minute scrambling, the Carnival committee is promising a great 
show August 11-12. 
 
d. Calypso Judges: Foreign Vs Local 
The perennial dispute over judges has resurfaced.  As one of its 
first acts, the newly elected Government of Grenada banned 
foreign calypso judges (usually Grenadians who live abroad) from 
this year's Carnival.  This led one of the two competing calypso 
associations to threaten to pull out of the competitions and in 
fact, a number of artists have stayed home. 
 
Charges of bias against local judges have been around a long 
time as the same artists would win year after year.  The 
previous government had opened the competition to foreign judges 
in order to make the competition fairer.  Local judges - and the 
artists who were no longer winning each year - complained that 
the foreign judges did not understand Grenadian nuances. 
Grenadian calypso judges in New York, Toronto, and London are 
crying foul. 
 
What is new this year is that there is now apparently a shortage 
of judges.  While the committee running Carnival promises that 
no act will be judged twice by the same judge(s), unless they 
can increase the numbers, the likelihood is that that is exactly 
what will happen. 
 
End text. 
 
MCISAAC