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US officials accused NNP of engaging in Scaremongering
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- Parent Category: Sept 2011
- Category: Week ending Sept 17th, 2011
- Published on Tuesday, 20 September 2011 08:34
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U.S government officials were not impressed with claims made by former Grenada Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 that the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was planning to topple his regime.
The official reaction from Washington to the claims from Dr. Mitchell is contained in a confidential memo that was sent to the State Department by U.S Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Mary Kramer.
THE NEW TODAY newspaper has been able to lay its hand on some aspects of the much talked about Wklileaks documents that fell into the hands of a British-based journalist.
According to the document, U.S officials believed that Dr. Mitchell had thrown out the idea of an imminent coup d’etat in St. George’s in order to attract Washington’s support for his one-seat majority government which was facing tremendous opposition from the Congress party.
“With a parliamentary majority of one seat, the (Mitchell) government is likely anxious about its level of popular support.
PM Mitchell may therefore believe that one way to shore up his government’s image locally is to be seen with the protective
arm of the USG (US Government) draped over his shoulders”, said Ambassador Kramer.
The document also gave insights into the probe conducted by US Embassy officials to unearth the truthfulness of Mitchell’s claim of a planned coup in St. George’s.
Following are highlights of the documents as obtained by this newspaper:
C O N F I D E N T I AL BRIDGETOWN 000294
SUBJECT: GRENADA: MORE UNFOUNDED COUP RUMORS
REF: A. 04 BRIDGETOWN 2415
Classified By: Ambassador Mary Kramer, for reasons 1.4 (b and d).
Summary: After weeks of hurried phone calls and circumspect hints that something unspecified was about to happen in Grenada, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell finally confided to the Ambassador during a face-to-face meeting in December that he feared opposition politicians were out to change Grenada’s democratic system of government.
Mitchell claimed that remnants of the leftist People’s Revolutionary
Government (PRG) and their supporters (allegedly with criminal ties) were looking for an opportunity to return Grenada to one-party rule.
Diligent investigation by Embassies Grenada and Bridgetown failed to turn up any credible evidence of a coup in the offing. It is likely that the PM’s scare-mongering was motivated by an attempt to
consolidate his own position domestically after a failed attempt to discredit a popular opposition politician.
Fragile Polity?
After weeks of cryptic phone messages left by his press officer and desultory attempts to meet face-to-face with the Ambassador, Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell finally confided to the Ambassador during a December meeting that he feared opposition politicians were out to change Grenada’s democratic system of elected government.
The PM claimed that the opposition politicians, who were members of the leftist PRG, along with supporters who had criminal ties, were looking for an opportunity to unseat him and his ruling New National Party in order to run the country unilaterally.
The Ambassador pledged that Embassy staff, including the RSO, would investigate the situation and report back to her.
The Enforcers See Little Threat
After meeting with a number of senior GOG security officials, including Acting Commissioner of the Royal Grenadian Police Force (RGPF) Winston James, RGPF Special Branch Head Anthony DeGale, and National Security Advisor Nestor Ogilvie, Grenada Principal Officer and Bridgetown RSO reached the conclusion that there is no threat of a coup taking place in Grenada in the foreseeable future.
Special Branch Head DeGale observed that coup rumours tend to resurface every October, the anniversary month of the 1983 U.S.-led intervention that removed the PRG from power.
DeGale argued that Grenada ‘s Constitution has provisions in place to protect against a coup. In addition, there are agreements within the Regional Security System (RSS), of which Grenada is a member, to deploy troops to restore order and provide assistance to member states.
(Note: The RSS deployed to Grenada immediately after Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 when local police proved ineffective. End Note.)
DeGale, like many Grenadians, believes the United States would ultimately “call the shots” should any threats to stability arise. In the event of a coup, he said the USG would likely impose sanctions against an unlawful government, thereby weakening it.
National Security Adviser Ogilvie, a native of Grenada who served in the Jamaica Defence Force after being trained in England (Grenada not having a defence force), is confident that there is no threat of a coup; he believes any change in government will happen through legal means.
Ogilvie speculated that if the opposition National Democratic Congress were to come to power through an election, it would not produce a noticeable difference in policy nor would it threaten constitutional rule.
Comment
The hothouse atmosphere of Grenada politics seems to lend itself to periodic rumours of coup plots.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, PM Mitchell warned that elements on the island were threatening to take advantage of the situation and overthrow his government (reftels).
Although the opposition has failed to capitalise on the GOG’s lackluster performance in the aftermath of the hurricane, opposition leader Peter David has recently emerged stronger after the ruling party’s campaign to disqualify him from his status as an MP backfired.
(Note: The question as to whether David’s status as a dual national (Grenada/Canada) disqualifies him from being elected to the House of Representatives is now in the courts. End note.)
With a parliamentary majority of one seat, the government is likely anxious about its level of popular support.
PM Mitchell may therefore believe that one way to shore up his government’s image locally is to be seen with the protective arm of the USG draped over his shoulders.
SUBJECT: GRENADA : A REQUEST COUCHED IN FAMILIAR ALARMISM
Classified By: Ambassador Mary Kramer
Summary: During a meeting with Ambassador Kramer, advisors to Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell requested U.S. assistance in bringing a naval floating hospital to Grenada during Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.
Barry Collymore and Dr. Rudy Webster warned that the opposition would take advantage of the situation if the International Cricket Commission (ICC) canceled Grenada ‘s participation in the
March 2007 event.
Throughout the meeting, Dr. Webster continuously underscored concerns over the opposition’s growing radical ideology and its desire to change Grenada ‘s democratic system.
In between the scare tactics that echoed previous conversations between PM Mitchell and Ambassador Kramer, Dr. Webster evoked past U.S. generosity and the 1983 U.S. intervention.
Dr. Webster also noted the growing number of left-of-center leaders in the region and Grenada ‘s newly established relations with the PRC.
The GOG (Government of Grenada) envoys, arguments thinly veiled the implied threat of a coup d’etat and loss of U.S. influence on the island if more USG assistance fails to materialise.
Health Facilities Lacking to Host CWC
Ambassador Kramer met February 9 in Bridgetown with Barry Collymore, advisor to Grenada ‘s PM Keith Mitchell, and Dr. Rudy Webster, Director and Chairman of the Health and
Medical Committee in Grenada for CWC 2007.
The meeting was held at the request of the GOG to discuss the inadequacy of its medical preparations for the upcoming international event.
Dr. Webster explained that the GOG had started a project to add a second phase to the General Hospital , a 325-bed facility.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Ivan, in 2004, and Hurricane Emily, in 2005, forced postponement of the project.
The ICC’s recent inspection of Grenada found that it had insufficient hospital beds or facilities to deal with a mass casualty scenario.
The ICC warned the GOG that failure to provide additional hospital beds and necessary health equipment would disqualify Grenada from hosting the CWC semi-final matches.
Dr. Webster said the hospital expansion would not be completed before CWC and requested that the USG provide a naval floating hospital to ensure Grenada’s participation in CWC.
Grenada Cries Wolf, Again?
Ambassador Kramer responded that while she understood Grenada’s predicament, this request was not for humanitarian assistance or disaster relief purposes.
Dr. Webster replied that should the ICC cancel Grenada ‘s participation, the opposition would take advantage of the situation and use it as a pretext to mount a coup d’etat.
In addition, Grenada was very concerned about the growing divide between the West and the Muslims. Grenada, he said, was a soft target for terrorists looking to harm citizens from Australia and England during CWC.
(Note: Currently only Australia is scheduled to play in Grenada if its team advances to the semi-finals. To Post’s knowledge, Australia has not been approached for assistance, but the British High Commission in Bridgetown confirmed the GOG asked it also for a floating hospital.)
According to Dr. Webster, the presence of a U.S.-run medical school and Grenada ‘s laissez-faire attitude toward security added to its attractiveness for terrorists.
Dr. Webster feared the growing divide in other parts of the
world was fueling the opposition, whose ideology had not
progressed since 1983. It certainly did not help, he added,
that several countries in the region had leftist governments.
Collymore added that the opposition had espoused
militant ideas on national radio in response to the GOG
imposing a five percent tax.
The opposition had called for the electricity to be shut off nationwide and for businesses to close down in protest. They lack respect for the rule of law, he said, and their demonstrations during the chaos that ensued after Ivan illustrate this point.
According to Collymore, the opposition is getting desperate since they are losing followers due to Grenada ‘s stability and the only
alternative to PM Mitchell, he warned, is a radical leftist.
Ambassador Kramer asked if earlier opposition attempts to
destabilise the GOG had been successful; Collymore replied
that they had not been.
Collymore argues, however, that the PRC would very
much like to see the opposition in power.
Dr. Webster took the opportunity to explain the reason the GOG had switched from the ROC to the PRC, claiming that the ROC had treated the PM badly, thus leaving the GOG with no other option but
to “get into bed with a country that was philosophically
different from Grenada and the ruling party.”
(Note: Dr. Webster failed to mention that PM Mitchell shopped around for the best deal before siding with the PRC. The ROC refused to give into the GOG’s demands and forced PM Mitchell to take the funding the PRC offered as an incentive to end relations
with the ROC. End note.)
Other CWC Concerns
Ambassador Kramer asked if the GOG had other concerns regarding CWC. Dr. Webster replied that security and disaster management were on the top of the list.
Ambassador Kramer said Grenada was probably further ahead in
terms of disaster preparedness than other Eastern Caribbean
countries and noted that the water system had not failed during Hurricane Emily.
Mr. Collymore responded that, thankfully, Hurricane Emily did not lead to mass casualties for which Grenada would have been unprepared in July 2005.
COMMENT: Same Old Song
Dr. Webster is a former Barbadian Ambassador to the
U.S. who served during the George H.W. Bush and William J.
Clinton administrations.
He explained that he lives in Grenada rather than Barbados because his wife is Grenadian. As a seasoned politician who unabashedly plays on all our fears while reminding us of our generous spirit, Dr. Webster seems to have been sent by PM Mitchell to bail the GOG out of yet another possible disaster.
PM Mitchell cannot afford to lose hosting CWC as the revenue that would come from such a large event would help jump-start Grenada’s frail economy; losing the match would also be a blow to the island state’s prestige, reflecting poorly on the PM and the New National Party, in power since 1994.
(C) The scaremongering employed by PM Mitchell and his
advisors is again conveniently timed to spur the USG into
providing a quick-fix to Grenada’s current challenge,
preparations for Cricket World Cup.
By approaching the UK and probably Venezuela for similar or additional medical support, the PM is clearly eager to address the short-fuse need with help from any quarter.
Similar tactics were used in 2004 shortly before the USG announced it would donate over 40 million USD in aid for disaster relief and reconstruction efforts after Hurricane Ivan.
Once the GOG received that aid, PM Mitchell soon forgot the coup threat and rejected U.S. military presence in Grenada; several neighboring countries, including Venezuela, were permitted to send in uniformed troops to maintain order.
(C) In recent months, U.S. officials met with several senior GOG security officials to investigate PM Mitchell’s fears of the opposition looking to unseat him (reftel).
Emboffs (Embassy Officials) concluded, once again, that little evidence exists to corroborate PM Mitchell’s claims or those of his advisors.
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