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Alister Hughes 20th September 1975
P 0 Box 65
St.Georgee
GWENADA o
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTEkR b ,
nr 'Week Endin. Septamber 2oth.
WRITS SERVED ON GOVERNMENT.
Five writs have been served on Government in connection with
lands which have been compulsorily acquired but which have not
been paid for. This was confirmed today (20th) by Mr D M B
Cromwell, Managing Director of Messrs Grand Anse Estates Ltd.
Mr Cromwell, who is also Chairman of the Company's Board of
Directors, said Grand Anse Estates had received "not one penny"
for its lands taken by Government.
Early in 1973, Government set up a Commission of Enquiry with
terms of reference "to investigate the legal ownership of all
properties formerly owned by the late S A Francia, with
particular reference to Grand Anse and Mt.Hartman Estates; to
explore the possibility of providing home lots for the people of
that area and putting the remainder under cultivation, and for
such other purposes as Government may consider desirable; to
make a study of the living and working conditions of the people
of Grand Anse and Mt.Hartman Estates; and to make *
recommendations."
Ignored.
These two estates were the property of Grand Anse Estates Ltd,
and Mr Cromwell said that, after the Commission had submitted its
Report, Government proceeded to acquire the 500 acre Mt Hartman
Estate plus four other lots of land totaling over 250 acres of
prime land. "But", said Mr Cromwell, "the Report of the
Commission of. Enquiry has not been made public, our request for
a copy of the Report was ignored, and n approach wa made to us
at any time for negotiations for the purchase of the land."
"The first we knew of it", he continued, "was when we saw notices
in the Government Gazette that the lands were being acquired."
Mr Cromwell said that the Governor General was written to months
ago with the request that an Assessment Board be appointed to
fix the value of the lands with a view to Government making
Allater Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 20.9.75
Page 2
payment, but there has been no action taken in this connection
and, according to Mr Cromwell, the Company now has no option
but to take the matter to the High Court*
The writs, according to Mr Cromwell, were filed on September
16th, and they ask for a Court declaration "in the matter of
the refusal of His Excellency the Governor General to appoint
a Board of Assessors" .... and for "such further order or orders
or declaration or declarations as the High Court may think fit."
"We intend to press this matter to a finality", concluded Mr.
Cromwell, "and we expect that the total cost of the lands
acquired by Government will run into several million dolnrs."
Contacted on this matter, Mr Godwin Brathwaite, the Cabinet
Secretary, said that the Commission of Enquiry had been set up
before he had been made Cabinet Secretary, and he could not say
whether the Commission had reported, and, if it had, whether the
Report had beeb made public, and, if it had, when it had been
published. He suggested that NEWSLETTER should direct those
questions to Mr Franklin Cherman who had been Cabinet Secretary
at the time, and who now holds another post in the Civil Service.
When Mr Cherman was queried on this matter, however, he said he
could give no replies as, in his present Department, he did not
have the records of Cabinet before him.
(522 words)
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CHABER CONCERNED OVER LAW & ORDER
Mr Lyden Ramdhanny, President of the Grenada Chamber of Commerce,
said today (20th) that arrangements have been made for a
delegation from the Chamber to meet next Thursday (25th) with
the Commissioner of Police, Mr J Usen, to discuss what
Mr Ramdhanny called the "alarming increase" in the number of
incidents of breaking into and stealing from business places.
Alister Hughes
THE GRENMAA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 20.9.75
Page 3
Mr Remdhanny said that, during this past week, there have been
four incidents of robbery from business places in the town of
Grenville, and, over the past months, thousands of dollars have
been lost by business places in St.Georges which have been
burglarized, Messrs W E Julien & Co Ltd, he said, had been
raided five times this year, Messrs Mafoudy's had been broken
into three times, and there were several other instances of
thieves breaking into and stealing from commercial houses,.
This situation would be discussed with Commissioner Usen, the
President of the Chamber said, and it would be suggested that
firearms which had been taken away from several
businessmen over the past years, should now be returned.
"Without adequate protection", said Mr Ramdhanny, "we are at the
mercy of these criminals, and we hope to convince the authorities
of the seriousness of the situation."
Prereeuisite
Mr Ramdhanny thought that the unsatisfactory state of law and
order in the State had been worsened by Government's handling of
the Duffus Report on Police brutality. "Since June 26th
last we have been waiting on Prime llnister Gairy for his
reaction to the Chamber's view that Government's White Paper on
the Duffus Report and Government's subsequent actions are not in
keeping with the Commissioner's recommendations", he said. "We
have pointed out that a meaningful implementation of the
recommendations is a prerequisite to confidence being
reestablished in Government and in the administration of law and
order", Mr Ramdhanny continued, "but, to date, we have had no
reply from Mr Gairy".
The President said that the Chamber's delegation to Commissioner
Usen hoped to discuss also some aspects of the Grenada Police
Force. He said there had been many complaints of harassment
by the Defence Force (which is an arm of the Police), and in
addition, the Commercial Community was concerned over the effect
which might be created on Tourism by the common sight of armed
Alister Hughes
THE GREhADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 20.9.75
Page 4
men walking the streets during the day.
On another matter, Mr Ramdhanny aaid the Chamber had written the
Cabinet Secretary on August 22nd requesting that the provisions
of the Newspeper (Amendment) Act be waived in relation to the
Chamber's Monthly Bulletin. These provisions require that
all newspapers in the State pay a licence fee of EC$500.00 per
annum, enter into a bond for EC#960.00 and make a cash deposit
of EC420,000.00 with the Accountant General.
"We have been told by our legal advisors that our Monthly Bulletin
may be bound by the provisions of the Newspeper (Amendment) Act",
the President said, "and we are anxious to get this matter settled
so we can resume this service to our Members." "However", he
added, "it is now nearly a month since the matter was put to the
Cabinet Secretary, and we have heard nothing."
(534 words)
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TWO DIRECTORS OF PUBLIC PROSECUTION (?)
Reliable sources confirm that, on September llth, Mr Dennis Lambert,
Director of Public Pr sections, received a letter from the Cabinet
Secretary, Mr Godwin Brathwsite, directing him to vacate the premises
of his office as they were required immediately for another purpose.
Contacted today (20th), Mr Lambert confirmed that he had received
a letter from the Cabinet Secretary, but he declined to disclose
its contents or to make any comment. However, it is. known
that, for the past week, Mr Lambert has not been seen at his
usual desk or in any other Government office.
Since May last, there has been considerable speculation as to
the constitutional position relative to the post of Director
of Public Prosecutions (DPP).. The Grenada Constitution
provides that, when the post of Attorney General is held by
a political appointee, a Director of Public Prosecutions,
acting as a Public Officer, shall be appointed. When,
Alister Hughes
TE GREA SA NEWSLETTER W6ek. Ending 20.9.75
however, the Attorney General is a Public Officer, the Attorney
General may be appointed to be DPP also.
When Mr Lambert was appointed DPP, the Post of Attorney General
was held by a political appointee, but, with effect from 14th
April 1975, Mr Desmond Christian was appointed as a Public Officer
to hold the posts of both Attorney General and Director of Public
Prosecutions. However, the revocation of Mr Lambert's
appointment to the post has not been published, and it would
appear that Grenada now has two people appointed as DPP.
Misbehaviour
According to the Grenada Constitution, a DPP can be removed from
his post only if a tribunal set up by the Governor General
recommends that he be removed for inability (arising from
infirmity of body or mind or.any other cause) to perform his
duties, or for misbehaviour. It is understood that, in the
light of this, Mr Lambert approached the Governor General, Sir
Leo deGale, for a clarification of the situation. It is
further understood that Mr Lambert was told by Sir Leo that the
letter he received related to his occupation of Government office
space and in no way referred to his tenure of tfle office of DPP.
Informed legal opinion expressed the view that, because Mt.
Lambert's appointment as DPP has not been officially revoked by
the Governor General, acting in accordance with the advice of the
Judicial & Legal Services Commission, the appointment of Mr.
Desmond Christian to the same post may be ultra vires the
Constitution.
(410 words)
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EMPLOYED ON "PRIME MINISTER'S INSTRUCTIONS".
Dennis "Ants" Augustine was found guilty yesterday morning (19th)
by ~iog'is-rat. Lloyd'St.Louis of illegally occupying the post of a
Public Officer at the General Hospital.
According to a spokesman at the Hospital, a call was received at
Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week.Ending 20.9.75
Pane 6
the institution on August 20th from someone who gave her name as
Miss Horsford from Prime Minister Gairy's official residence at
Mt.Royal. "Miss Horeford" said the Prime Minister was out of
the State but had left instructions that Dennis Aganstine was to be
employed as a PBX operator from: September Ist.
Three further calls were received at the Hospital from "Miss Horsford",
as a result of which Augustine's salary was fixed at EC51800.00 per
annum and he was contacted at his home and asked to come for an
interview. Questioned by the Shop Steward and Medical
Superintendent, Augustine gave his qualifications for the 3ob as an
18 month spell of work as a PBX operator in Jamaica, and he was
taken on at the General Hospital from. September Ist.
Suspicions were aroused when it was.discovered that Augustine was
making overseas calls. TRHn it was found that he had wrongly
informed a family of the death of their daughter; he even called the
undertaker to remove the body.
On September 18th, Augustine was arrested by the OID, and yesterday
was sentenced to three months hard labour in prison.
(228 words)
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GRENADIAN ON INTERNATIONAL COMMITTI
Dr John Watts, past District Governor of Rotary International, has
been appointed a member of the 1976 Convention Committee of Rotary
International.
This one-year appointment was made by Rotary International President,
Ernesto Imbassahy de Mello of Brazil, and Dr Watts will work with
appointees from three other countries to oversee preparations for
Rotary International's 1976 Convention next June in New Orleans.
(59 words)
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BIANAA SHIPMENTS
Over the period 15th/16th September, the S S "Geestide" loaded
34 380 boxes of bananas weighing 1,011,653 Ibs and valued at
EC$96,107.00. There were 153 boxes of fruit rejected.
th Sept o 975r
20th Sepgte 975
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