Letter sent to the Prime Minister at the beginning of November

    Dear Prime Minister;

1. I write you in your capacity as Minister of National Security on behalf of the Friends and Families of the Grenada 17, the Committee to Free the Grenada 17, and members of the group of prisoners customarily referred to as The Grenada 17.



2. It has been drawn to our attention that a clandestine pamphlet titled "Coup Detected" has been distributed in different parts of Grenada during the week of 9^th October 2000.



3. Our attention has been drawn to the following matters inter alia regarding the aforesaid pamphlet:



1. that it is alleged therein that the security forces have detected a plot inside the prison walls to overthrow the NNP government; and that it is clear from the contents that members of the Grenada 17 are being fingered as the culprits;



2. that it is further alleged that members of the Grenada 17 are in a conspiracy with others outside to mount a military operation to bring about their freedom from prison;



3. that by way of innuendo it is implied that they are also involved in a plot to kill the Prime Minister of the country;



4. that the pamphlet is printed without identifying the author or authors or publisher.



4. We observe that the pamphlet is being distributed clandestinely because those who are behind it are well aware that the contents are completely false, totally baseless and indeed amount to a criminal offence under the laws of Grenada.



5. It is a reasonable inference, Sir, based on the content of the pamphlet that it is written by a person or persons connected with the NNP government. By writing such a pamphlet the author or authors show great contempt for the intelligence of the Grenadian public and believe that:



1. they can easily divert the public by shouting loaded words as ‘plot,’ ‘coup,’ and ‘Coardites;’



2. they can get the public to believe that the blame for all the failures, shortcomings and difficulties of the government and its ministers lie at the prison door of people locked away for 17 years.



6. We wish to further denounce the publication of this pamphlet as being reckless, criminal and unpatriotic. It is reckless and criminal for reasons already stated. It is unpatriotic because all it does is to raise the spectre of Grenada’s turbulent past in a most immature, childish and reckless manner which can only serve to further harm Grenada’s image to the detriment of the efforts to develop tourism and mobilise investments.



7. We are particularly concerned because the pamphlet is written from the standpoint of a person or persons claiming to be privy to information in possession of the security forces. Furthermore, the author, or authors, purports to defend the NNP government and you, the Honourable Prime Minister, from the alleged criminal conspiracy by alerting the population to its existence. The clear intention is to create the impression that these criminally libellous allegations arise from official sources and are true, thereby enhancing their damaging impact.



8. Given the context outlined in the preceding paragraph and the gravity of the matter arising from the nature of the allegations made in the pamphlet, we call upon you, Dr. Keith Mitchell, in your capacity as Minister of National Security to clear the air stirred up by the pamphlet. If there is any evidence of any plot to overthrow the government and commit other crimes, we request that such information be made public and that all those involved be arrested and charged according to law.



9. If there is no evidence of any such plot or criminal conspiracy, we call upon you to cause an investigation to be carried out to get to the root of the matter of the publication and distribution of this pamphlet so as to lay criminal charges against all involved. We note that Mr. George Worme has been hauled before the courts for less; and that Mr. Stanley Charles was arrested and charged for allegations less extensive than the present ones.



10. Finally, because of the gravity of the matter, and the danger that this pamphlet (we understand it to be the third in a series) may be laying the basis for the possible taking of illegal and oppressive actions against those identified and named in it, we are taking the precaution of sending a copy of the pamphlet and this letter to you, to all CARICOM Heads and the heads of other friendly governments worldwide, to the media, and also posting both documents on the internet.

        Glen St Louis