VZCZCXRO3986
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHGR #0141 3102054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 052054Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY GRENADA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0497
INFO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0533
RUEHGR/AMEMBASSY GRENADA 0578

UNCLAS GRENADA 000141 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ELAB ETRD PREL GJ XL
SUBJECT: GRENADA WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT FOR OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 1, 
2008 
 
¶1. Embassy Grenada's weekly report (GWAR) provides a little 
detail about events of interest that do not merit longer 
reporting at this time. 
 
¶2. Begin GWAR text: 
 
a. Alleged Plan for Benefits for Former Revolutionaries 
Local press reported that a coordinated effort is underway to 
promote the revolutionary period of 1979 - 1983 as a heroic 
period and to attain benefits for members of the People's 
Revolutionary Army (PRA).  Some former high-ranking members of 
the PRA are said to be angry about the way they were treated 
following the 10/25/83 U.S.-Caribbean intervention.  They are 
also displeased with the lack of progress by some of their 
former leaders, now in government, to institute "gratuities, 
pensions, and other medical benefits afforded U.S. War 
Veterans".  Should the effort bear fruit, the government could 
expect competing claims from victims of the PRA during the 
revolutionary period. 
 
b. Grenada Considering Increasing Minimum Wage 
Grenada's Tripartite Advisory Committee, headed by a former 
labor commissioner and including government and union 
representatives, is reviewing working conditions of workers in 
lower paid jobs.  They expect to report their findings in six 
months. 
 
Grenada's minimum wage was last raised in 2002.  At US$74/month, 
it has been inadequate for many years as the cost of basic goods 
and services have skyrocketed. 
 
c. AA begins non-stop service from Miami to Grenada 
Travelers arriving on American Airlines first non-stop Boeing 
737 flight from Miami to the Spice Isle were greeted by local 
tourism officials with free drinks.  The GOG expects the restart 
of American Airlines' non-stop service from Miami to Grenada to 
be a turning point in Grenada's tourism development.  The new 
service complements existing American Eagle flights to Grenada 
from San Juan Puerto Rico.  The service will operate daily in 
the peak winter season and five days/week the rest of the year. 
 
AA withdrew its jet service from the Grenadian market in 1998 
due to insufficient ticket sales and the accumulation of US$1 
million GOG debt to AA because of low ridership.  St. George's 
University's Chancellor paid the debt in hopes of convincing AA 
to remain in the market, to no avail.  Grenadians are keeping 
their fingers crossed that the new service will not suffer the 
same fate. 
 
d. Monument to U.S. and Caribbean Soldiers Re-dedicated 
On October 25, twenty-five years after the Grenada intervention, 
former soldiers, families of soldiers who died during the 
intervention, U. S. Government officials, Grenada Government 
officials and friends gathered at the refurbished Ronald Reagan 
Monument to pay their respects to those who died liberating 
Grenada in 1983.  The USG and private donations paid for the 
refurbishment.  Ambassador Mary Ourisman paid tribute to the 
fallen, reading from a letter from Former First Lady Nancy 
Reagan, who stated that `while we all celebrate the success of 
the mission, we mourned the loss of the brave young men who gave 
their lives so that others could be free'. Grenada's Prime 
Minister Tillman Thomas, who attended the re-dedication, was one 
of the persons who was released from prison in 1983 by the 
Americans. 
 
End text. 
 
MCISAAC