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Altster Hughes
P 0 Bx 65
8t.Georges
Grenada
TaE GRENADA NWSLEMTTE
Por The weak Endirn MaY 28th 1977
POLICL S"iAGH OUTGOING HAQdER PRESIDENT
VYJhle Mr Lyden Rardhanny, President of the Grenada chamber of Oommero~
was in St.Georges yestee4ay presiding over the Annual Genewa Meeting
of his organisation, a detachment of the Grenada Pollee Poroe was
exeauting a werant to search for eas and ammunition at hia busAesa
premises in GOefville, Grenada's second town.
Mr Raadhanny told NEWSLETTER that, while in 8t.eGorgea, he received
phone call summoning him urgently to his office in aeefotUl. On
arrival, he found a party of some 20 poliomen under the oomand of
Inspector Raymond DeSousa searching his private office, his lumber
department, his dry goods store and his cinema for arms and ammanitioi
At the same time, Mr Ramdhanny said, some 30 polioeen ware teaching
the residence of his father, Mr L L Ramdhanny, at L'Estare estate.
Mr Ramdhanny said that, in the course of the aeareh, 8 fir-arms -
five shotguns and three pistols all lioenoed for use on the three
eetates and various commercial enterprises of the Remdhanny family
were confioated. Today (27th) Mr Ramidbany admtaed NH YWITE
that he has been served a notice that he is "not a fit and proper
person" to hold a firearm licence, and the lioences of all eight
firearms have been withdrawn.,
At the Annual General Meeting of the Chamber over whih Mr Rraha9fn
presided yesterday, Mr Albert Xavier, Editor of the "Toroglight"
newspaper, was elected President for the 1977/78 term, and, in an
exoluaive interview with NEWLITWER today (27th), Mr Xavier expressed
shook over the incident.
The new president of the Chamber said he had not yet had time to
consult the Council of Management, but he felt the Council would take
a very strong line. "The Ramdhanny family sa among the moat
respeotea businessmen in the Community", said Mr Xavier, "and, up to
yesterdq, Mr Lyden Ramdhanny waa President of the Geeada chamber of
Commerce."
NIWSLUTTER called the Commissioner of Polio*, Mr Osbet Jame& todoy
Aliater Hughes
THE GRaEADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 28.5.77
(27th) and asked for any information he could give relative to the
search eezouted on Mr Lyden Ramdhanny and his father. Mr James
said be had no comment to make, that the search had been "police
duties" and, he said, "I dent think I have to give you any reasons
as to what was back of it."
Pressed for the official aide of the incident# Mr James said it did
not mean anything to him whether or not one side only of the matter
was reported, or whether the reporting was fair "or anyhow", and he
understands "what the job of these journalists ia today".
The conversation with Mr James came to an end with his repetition
of the phrase, "Thank you for calling', in reply to every comment
and inquiry by NEWBSiaTER.
(453 words)
COCOA PROSPOTS GOOD
Asoording to the Report of the Board of Management of the Coooa
Industry Board circulated to growers, the downward trend of world
production of cocoa had had a favourable upward effect on prices
and "growers can reasonably look forward to substantially better
returns from their cocoa over the next two years at any rate."
Illustrating this with statistics, the Roport says that exports
for 1976 averaged EC$1.44 per pound, 80 per pound higher than the
1975 average price. Future sales are now averaging nearly
EC$4.00 per pound and, while the selling price in 1976 ranged
from 590 to 1,500 per ton, future sales have been made up to
2,400 per ton.
Indicating the trend over the last six "oooa years", the Report
quotes the following figures (in EC cents) :-
Cocoa Cash Surplus Export Pest Total
Year Advance payment nuty & eas Cntrol P rice
1970/71 28.0 9.9 6.8 44.7
1971/72 28.2 12.0 9.1 49.3
1972/73 31.5 13.0 9.5 54.0
1973/74 50.0 20.0 16.3 86,3
1974/75 70.0 25.0 23.2 3,0 121,2
1975/76 80.0 25.0 22.75 5.2 132.9
The Report aays, "These figures illustrate the large share of
the cake absorbed by direct taxation. For 1976 it worked
out at 22.75t per pound or 1.5.7Z of the selling price. The
Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER week Ending 28.5.77
page 3
Board is. constantly pressing Government for relaxation of duties."
The Board's Statement of Trading for the year ending 30th September
1976 shows that production for 1976 was 5,982,380 lba, an increase of
666,105 Ibe over the 1975 figure of 5,316,275 lbe. The value of tbh
1976 crop was ECO4,485,243.00, and that of 1975, E063,462,006.00.
(NOTE The figures in the above paragraph vary from the figures from
the Report of the Council of Management of the Grenada Chamber of3
Commerce quoted on page 6, paragraph 2 in NEW&LETTER for the week
ending 21.5.77. The differences may be due to typographical errors,
and the figures from the Stataent of the Cocoa Industry Board should
be accepted.)
Total exports for 1976 amounted to 5,858,000 Ibs valued at
EC$8,480,453.00 which, after taking into account inventory at the
beginning and end of year, and payments for deliveries to producers,
resulted in a gross profit of EC04,066,820.00. Selling, general
and administrative expenses accounted for EC#2,842,232.00, leaving a
"net operating income" of EC01,224,588.00.
Corresponding figures for 1975 are, exports 5,288,000 Ibs, valued at
E107,193,434.00. Gross profit was 3E03,730,381o00, expenses
EC$2,411,242.00 and "net operating income" EC$1,319,169.00.
For some eight years now, the Cocoa Industry has been under direct
Government control through a Government appointed Cocoa Industry Board.
In February of last year, a group of Cocos Producers wrote to the
Chairman of the Board, Sir Dennis Henry, demanding a General Meeting
"in accordance with the provisions of the Cocoa Industry Ordinance
number 30 of 1964 and its subsequent amendments ....", but this demand
was not met.
At that time, Sir Dennis, who is. one of Grenada's biggest cocoa
producers, said that he is a believer in cooperatives and he looked
forward to the day when the Industry will, once more, be run by
producers who are elec0t" rather than nominated.
(550 words)
Aliater Hughes
THE GRENADA NLwaIXaTER Week ending 28.5.77
Pange .
GEC COMrISSION ADJOURNS
The three-men Commission of Inquiry appointed to look into operations
of the Grenada Electricity Services (GEC) has adjourned its sittings
until Tuesday June 7th.
This Commission, which is. headed by MrA, rian Date, retired
Judge of the Supreme Court, had its first sitting on Tuesday (24th)
of this week when, apaa from formalities, the only business done
was the taking of evidence from one person, Mr P M Coord,
It was clear that the individuals and organizations who had
advised the Commissioners of their intention to give evidence
were awaiting opportunity to study accounts and memoranda put
in by GEC, but Mr Date announced that the Company has submitted
only accounts with accompanying reports.
The Chairman said GIC had asked for two weeks time after the
Manager of the Company, Mr William R Lord, returned from leave
at the end of May in order the have the memorandum prepared,
but Mr Date thought that, even in Mr Lord's absence, some sort
of memorandum could be put in.
Yesterday (25th), the Commissioners held no sitting but inspected
the Company's plant located at queen's Park, St.Georges, and this
corning (26th), sittings were resumed with Mr Jack Allen, Generation
angineer-In-Oharge, giving evidence.
Among other technical details, Mr Allen testified that the
Power Station is equipped with 7 generators having a total
capacity of 7,300 kilowatts. He said the average peak load
in February of this year had been 3,488 kilowatts at the night-
time peak. and 2,632 kilowatts at the day-time peak. The
peak day-time load during 1976 had been on November 10th with
3,140 kilowatts, and the 1976 peak night-time load had been
3,870 kilowatts on Christmas Bve.
followingg Mr Allen's evidence, Mr Date sought unsuccessfully
co find out from Mr Lyle Hosten, Counsel for GEC, when the
company would sumbit a memorandum, and commented that the
abilityty of the Company to give information raised in his
Alister Hughes
THI GRENADA NEWSLD-TER Week nFiig 28.5.77
PEag 5
mind one of the questions the Commissionere have to consider, that is.,
the location of the seat of administrative control of the Company.
"What I'm trying to get at", said the Chairman, "1A really whether the
reason for the difficulty of the Company in giving us information at
this time is that the effective seat of administrative control La
outside of Grenada."
rP Date said thgt, with Mr Lord returning to Grenada at the end of May,
he thought there would be ample time for the Manager to look at any
memorandum which had been prepared, and the Chairman said he expected
the memorandum would be submitted a few days before the Commission
resumes on June 7th.
Serving with Mr Date are Mr Joseph Bain, the Grenada Government
Director of Audit and Mr Glyn Evens, the Grenada Government Electricity
Inspector. GBS is a joint venture of the Government of Grenade and
the Commonwealth Development Corporation, the former holding 40.77 of
the shares, and the latter, 59.36.
(489 words)
GOVERNIXET EMPLOYLES GIVE ULTIMATUM
In a letter dated May 20th, three Trade Undons representing monthly
paid Government employees have called upon Government to cause the
Salaries Revision Commission "to reconvene at later that Briday 27th
May 1977, and its work completed by June 13th 1977, failing which the
Unions will feel free to take whatever action they may deem necessary.
The immediate appointment of this Commission was agreed to by
Govermnent on 26th March 1976 with the understanding that its
recommendations would be implemented from January tst 1977.
The three Unions concerned are the Civil Service Association, the
Technical & Allied Workers Union and the Grenada Union of Teachers,
and in their letter to Government, these Unions pointed out that the
Commission was not set up until 13th December 1976. Signed by the
presidents of the Unions, the letter alleges that the Commission
cannot complete its assignment "because of the unavailability of the
Secretary of the Commission who is assigned other duties by
Government.
(continued)
Alister Hughes
THE GR3CADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 28.5.77
Page 6
The Secretary to the Commission is Mr Curtis Strathan, Clerk of
Parliament, and, contacted by NEIsLETTER on Friday 20th,
Mr Strachon said he had no comment to make. NEWBSLVTTER was
in touch with the Acting Cabinet Secretary, Mr Franklin Cherman,
on Saturday 21st but, apart from acknowledging that he had
received the Unions' letter and saying that it would be replied
to as soon as the matter had been discussed with Prime Minister
Gairy, Mr Charman had no comment.
Sources close to the Unions told NhWSLETTER today (27th) that
a reply dated 23rd May has been received from the Acting Cabinet
Secretary. This letter states that Government is "extremely
anxious for the Salaries Revision Commission to complete its work"
but that the Chairman of the Commission, Mr Eldon Mathurin, will
not be available until June 15th. Government's letter says
also that the Unions' nominee to the Commission, Senator James
Manawell, will -ot be available until after June 25th.
The letter from the Acting Cabinet Secretary says Government will
"urge the Commission to complete its Report with the utmost
dispatch" and that the Secretary will be available at any time
the Commission is ready to meet.
( 360 words)
PARLIAMENTARIAN SEARCHED AT AIRPORT
In an exclusive interview with NEWSLETTER, Mr Unison Whiteman,
elected Member of the House of Representatives for the conatituenoy
of St.Georges North-East and Joint Coordinating Secretary of the
New Jewel movement, said his baggage had been thoroughly
searched by Customs officials at Pearls Airport when he returned
to Grenada today (27th)
Mr Whiteman, who has just completed an eight day familiarization
tour of Cuba on the invitation of the Cuban Institute For
Friendship With PeOple, said he had been taken from the Customs
area into a separate room for the search, and that two pamphlets
had been seized from his brief case. One of these p4mplets
he said, dealt with African Liberation Movements and Cuba's
assistance to them, while the other covered the Committee for
(continued)
Alister Hughes
THE GOENADA NEWIETTIER Week Ending 28.5.77
Page 7
the Defence of the Revolution, an organization Mr Whiteman described
as an unarmed civilian group concerned with social development and
internal intelligence directed against counter-revolutionary elements,
Mr Whiteman said he was very annoyed with "the crude attempt to
humiliate a Member of Parliament by, subjecting him to unnecessary
search". "I am at a loss to understand the pretext Gairy could
dream up for this", he said, "and it certainly could not have been my
visit to Cuba. At this time, even the United States is seeing the
need to establish relations with Cuba and, in any ease, staying in
Havana in the very hotel with me were two of Gairy's top officials,
Mr Ernest John, the Attorney General and Mr Ernest Wilkinson, the
Registrar of the Supreme Court." Mr Whiteman said he understood
Mesars John and Wilkinson were in Cuba to attend a law conference.
Concerning his trip to Cuba, Mr Whiteman said he had been extremely
impressed with the rapid strides that country has made in housing,
education, health and agriculture, particularly in the citrus
industry.
Another member of the New Jewel Movement, Mr Maurice Bishop, who made
the trip with Mr Whiteman, is expected to return to Grenada on Sunday
(29th).
(319 words)
TROTTER CASE BY NO MEANS CLOSED
In an exclusive interview with NEWSLETTER on Monday (23rd), Mr Ronald
Green, Chairman of the Desmond Trotter Defence Committee, said that,
although Premier Patrick John of Dominica had declared that the
Desmond Trotter case was closed, this is not so,
"The case will not be closed", he said, "until the people of Dominica
are fully satisfied that Desmond is free and that the allegations
concerning police obstruction of justice are dealt with."
Desmond Trotter was convicted for the murder of an American tourist
but, in March of last year, the prosecution's principal witness,
Antiguam Miss Camelia Francis, signed an affidavit in which she
alleged that the Dominican Police had threatened to pull her nails
out unless she testified e.guaMn .TDfotti.
(continued)
Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 28.5.77
Pase 8
In an exclusive interview with NEWSLITTER in Antigua shortly
after she signed the affidavit, Miss Franois said she realized
she had made "a big mistake" and had put a man's life in danger.
"I cannot keep quiet about this any longer", she said, "and I
beg Desmond Trotter and God to forgive me."
In his interview with NLWSLETTER, Mr Green said that, in May of
last year, a delegation from the Trotter Defence Committee had
had a meeting with Premier Patrick John after telkingwith Miss
Francis. "The Premier promised some action", Mr Green said,
"but there has been no action on his part."
Mr Green said his Committee would continue to work to inform
the people of Dominica and international Bodies such as Amnesty
International which are very concerned over Trotter's freedom.
Mr Green's visit to Grenada was part of an assignment of the
Caribbean Council of Churches to prepare documentation on
violations of human rights in Dominica, St.Vincent, Grenada
and Guyana.
(288 words)
JACKIE GRANT SUPPORTS SPORT SAfMTIONS
Former Westindies cricket captain, G C "Jackie" Grant of Trinidad,
paid a short visit to Grenada this week.
Mr Grant, who was headmaster of the Grenada Boys' Secondary
School in the 1930s, told NEWSLETTER in an exclusive interview
on Wednesday (25th), he was sorry that some Westindian cricketers
have played in South Africa, and he supported the ban on sporting
links with that country.
"It is necessary for us. to take action against a country like
South Africa if it has a racial policy which is contrary to
human dignity and all the things we stand for", he said, "and
rather than fight it out, if we can show our diaapproval in
this peaceful way, I support such steps as games sanctions
rather than warfare."
Some years ago, Mr Grant and his wife were resident in Rhodesia
hi were deported by the Government of Ian Smith, and Mr Grant
Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Woek Ending 28.5.77
Page 9
told NEWSLETTER that, while no official reason wvs given, it was
obvious that deportation had resulted because th Grants' views
differed from those of the Government on racial matters.
"On several occasions we raised our voices and used our pens to
criticize government policy", Mr Gra~n said, particularly when it
introduced legislation whose purpose seemed to be to maintain white
privilege rather than to promote human justice."
Jackie Grant captained the Westindies cricket team in the 1930/3r
test series against Australia in Australia, the 1933 series against
England in England and the 1934/35 series against England in the
Westindies.
(252 words)
GAIRY: "GRENADA. GENEVA OF THE WESTINDIES"
Addressing a meeting of OAS Conference coordinators on Tuesday (24th),
Prime Minister Gairy said he had attended conferences all over the
world and there was no convention centre with a comparable setting
to the one erected on Grand Anse beach for the OAS Conference.
"Grenada is, going to become an important convention centre, the Geneva
of the Westindies", Mr Gairy said.
According to a Government Information Services release, the geodesic
dome erected for the Conference will be blessed by all DenominationaL
Heads after an address by the Prime Minister on June 11th. Governor
General, Sir Leo deGale, will then declare the building open.
Seating capacity of the dome is 650 and space is provided for 5
television crews on a raised structure above the lobby.
(125 words)
###########
GRELADIAN TRADE-UNIONIST LECTURES IN USA
A trade union course organised,by the American Institute for Free
Labour Development (AIPLD) at its institute in Virginia, USA, will
hear lectures on "Techniques of Organising" by a Grenadian trade-
unionist, Mr Curtis 8tewart.
Mr Stewart who is President of the Technical & Allied Workers
Union, Secretary of the Grenada rade Union Council and Education
Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 28.5.77
Page 10
Coordinator for AIPLD in the Oaribbean, leaves Grenada today
(27th) and is expected to deliver six lectures between May 31st
and June 2nd on the problems of trade union organisation with
special reference to the Caribbean.
This AIPLD course which began on May 5th is for 20 trade-unionista
from the English-speaking Caribbean. The course is expected
to end on June 14th.
(416 words)
BANANA SHIPMEmTS
On May 25th, the S 8 "Geeettide" sailed with 23,224 boxes of
bananas weighing 69,902 Ibs and valued at iC090,896.00. There
were 968 boxes of rejected fruit.
(24 words)
CRUISE LINEt CALLS
'here was only one cruise liner call at "renada during the week
ending May 21st. his was the 8S Sun Viking" which
berthed on Saturday 21st with 624 passengers.
(28 word)
May 1977
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