Government Information Service Newsletter - Vol. 1, Issue 4 - 2020

NEWSLETTER GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICE

ISSUE NO. 04

EC $10.8 MILLION AWARDED FOR BISHOP COLLEGE

EXPANSION AND REFURBISHMENT INSIDE PAGE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE IS PRIORITY 02

PAGE COVID-19 CONTROL BILL, 2020 IS CONSTITUTIONALLY SOUND 04 PAGE 05

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

DONATES MASKS TO GOVERNMENT OF GRENADA

PAGE 06

UPGRADE OF PLAYING FIELDS

AND MUCH MORE...

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PROTECTION OF PEOPLE IS PRIORITY COVID-19 era is to protect the Grenadian people.

He was addressing the proposed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Control Bill, 2020, which was scheduled to be tabled in Parliament on July 29, but for which Government, listening to the concerns of the people, will be embarking on a formal public consultation process.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell

Speaking

during

the

July

29 sitting of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister, Dr.

the

Mitchell,

Right said

Hon.

Keith

Government’s

The proposed Bill was intended to protect the people, especially now that the decision has been taken to reopen the borders. Dr. Mitchell said if Government drops its guard and more cases are discovered, which results in death, Government will never be forgiven.

sole responsibility during the

“Do not forget that our duty, first and foremost, is to protect the people of this country.

Mr. Speaker, if we don’t and we fall prey to some little political licks here and there and we drop our guard and, with the border opening, and people start being infected and they die on our watch, with the five or six ICU beds we have available that cannot cope with more than that, you would not hear the last of it. The same persons who might be down on us today, for unattempting to protect this country, would be the loudest ones saying you killed my brother, sister or cousin,” the Prime Minister said.

Organizations have rallied the support of members of the public to protest against the tabling of the Bill. During

HOR PASSES COVID-19 CANCELLATION OF CARNIVAL AUGUST CELEBRATIONS BILL The House of Representatives passed the COVID-19 Cancellation of Carnival August Celebrations Bill 2020, in its most recent sitting on July 29.

Prime Minister, Dr. Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell, who brought the Bill before the House, acknowledges that while it is in Grenada’s interest financially to have Carnival, their priority now remains the protection of the lives of the Grenadian people.

Dr. Mitchell pointed out that Grenada has had three months of no productivity and there is a serious drop in the country’s fiscal situation. He said they cannot at this time reverse the gains they have made through fiscal responsibility, which has resulted in more support for Grenada than any other country in the region.

He said, “I’m convinced, Mr. Speaker, to have a holiday is to encourage people to have mas. To encourage people to Jab Jab in the thousands and hundreds and the tens we’re going to have major problems, because with the border opening more people will be coming from different parts and you never know. As Minister pointed out, one came in with a positive test a few days ago. That one person can go into a

celebration on the beach and infect 20 and 30 people. That twenty and thirty people go out in the villages and infect hundreds.

Where are the beds in the hospital for one hundred ICU patients? We in Government, if we allow that, we better run from town. Because people will deal with us accordingly.”

Giving her support to the Bill, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, Dr. Clarice ModesteCurwen, said, while Carnival has made Grenada a serious destination competitor, good sense must prevail.

Providing statistics, she said in 2018, 12,379 visitors came to Grenada, during the Carnival period, and that figure represented a dramatic increase over 2017.

In 2019, 13, 327 visitors came to our shores and some of those who came for last year’s celebration had already started booking for 2020.

Dr. Modeste-Curwen said, “I want to beg that we continue on the trajectory that we are on, the path that we have carved as a Nation, because every one of us makes sacrifices and let us not throw that sacrifices down the drain. As much as we like Carnival; as much as it does for the

the Sitting of the House of Representatives, protesters gathered outside the Parliament building, at Mt. Wheldale. Dr. Mitchell said no action will be taken against these individuals, as it is in their democratic right to freely express their opinion.

The Prime Minister said, “This country is a very strong democracy. We must not be afraid to accept a demonstration here and there. We’re not encouraging it, but if it happens it is part of the democratic process.” He continued, saying, “We won’t be seeing people being held in the streets and put away in jails and some of the things we’ve been seeing abroad, we won’t see that here. People’s right to express themselves, is their right.”

economy, I would beg everyone, let us comply. Let us leave the Jab for a while. Next year it’s going to be bigger. It’s going to be better for us, but we have to make the sacrifice now.”

Minister for Health, Hon. Nickolas Steele appealed for common sense, so as not to reverse the sacrifices made. He said tabling the Bill is not the desire of a cruel, authoritarian government, nor is it political policy, but is instead a decision guided by scientific facts.

Hon. Steele said, “We are no different than any other responsible governments that recognize that mass events will cause the spread of COVID-19 and for those who say we don’t have no COVID in Grenada right now, I don’t know that for a fact and I’m the Minister of Health and we, as a responsible Government, are not prepared to play Russian Roulette with the population. So, Mr. Speaker, my final word is that there are some out there who are provoking this, but they, themselves, will stay home. They, themselves, are wearing the masks. They are provoking this just to see civil disorder, because it’s not their watch. Well, this is our watch and we have to do the responsible thing.”

Leader of the Opposition Tobias Clement also threw his support behind the Bill. He said, in a situation like this, education is critical.

“We have to continue to educate our people in the virulence of COVID-19. It’s not to be played with. It’s not to be trifled with, especially in this time,” the Opposition Leader said.

EC $10.8 MILLION AWARDED TO HANOVER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR BISHOP COLLEGE EXPANSION AND REFURBISHMENT

The Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Religious Affairs and Information hereby informs the general public that a contract has been awarded, at a cost of EC $10.8 million, to Hanover Construction Company Limited, for the expansion and refurbishment of Bishops College.

Rehabilitation work has already begun at the Presentation Brothers College, at a cost of EC $ 4.59 million and at the Grenada Seventh Day Comprehensive Secondary School, costing EC $7.2 million. These contracts were awarded to Kenny’s Equipment & Construction Services.

The contractor has 21 days to commence work. This is the third contract to be awarded, in the past three months, under the first phase of the Grenada Enhancement Project (GEEP), an agreement of the Government of Grenada and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

In addition, the Ministry of Education also wishes to inform the public that general school maintenance, of all schools on the island, is ongoing. EC $50 million has been secured and will be spent on expansion and repairs of schools between 2020 and 2021.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SUMMER PROGRAMME 2020 The Summer Programme to be implemented by the Ministry of Education begins on July 30, 2020, for all Grade 6 students who were not awarded a place at a Secondary School, for the 2020-2021 academic year. Those students are asked to go to the centers from 9:00 a.m., on July 30, as outlined below:

1. Students from St. Patrick, St. Mark and St. John should go to the Bonaire Government School.

2. Students from St. George should go to the St. George’s Anglican Senior School.

3. Students from St. David should go to the Crochu RC School.

4. Students from St. Andrew should go to the St. Andrews Methodist School.

For inquiries please call Mrs. Gertrude Niles, at the Ministry of Education, at telephone number: 473-440-2737.

CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) CONTROL BILL, 2020 IS CONSTITUTIONALLY SOUND Attorney General, Darshan Ramdhani, during a radio interview on Wee FM Radio, on July 27, said the Coronavirus Disease Control Bill, 2020 is constitutionally sound and goes in accordance with existing laws that govern Grenada, however the Government of Grenada has heard the concerns of the general public and decided to delay the Bill, to ensure sufficient time for engagement in the consultative process.

Government said the sole intention of the Bill is to protect the Grenadian people, especially now that Grenada has taken the decision to reopen its borders and keeping in mind that the health and safety of the Grenadian people must remain uncompromised. However, concerns were raised relating to some aspects of the bill. The Government of Grenada indicated that the Bill does not significantly change the existing legislation and does not contravene Grenada’s Constitution.

Ramdhani said, “The bill actually relaxes or seeks to relax the mechanism which governs our life so, for instance, at the present time we are in a state of emergency. The Bill, if we can pass these laws that are in these regulations and we’re only able to do these regulations and to restrict our certain fundamental rights;

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we’re only able to do that because we are in a state of emergency and because we have no substantive laws that govern, or that allows us to impose restrictions on movement and to impose obligations on people to wear masks, obligations on people to socially distance; to close certain businesses at certain times.”

He continued, saying, “We don’t have the substantive laws to deal in a holistic manner and let me say that clearly. We have public health laws. We have the Quarantine Act, but we don’t have any substantive law which deals holistically, comprehensively with the Coronavirus environment.”

Attorney General,

Darshan Ramdhani

The Attorney General said the proposed Bill goes no further than the COVID-19 regulations in place at the moment. He emphasized the importance of putting measures in place where there are risks that endanger Grenadian lives.

very same powers which the police possess, under, these regulations, are the very same powers which will be given under this Bill, if it becomes act,” Ramdhani said.

“We do believe that what we were presenting or what we intend to present to Parliament is constitutionally sound. It goes no further than the regulations which are in place at the moment. Let me make that point again, it goes no further than the regulations which are currently in place at this point in time. The

The power given to law enforcement officers to enter premises without a warrant is of public concern. The Attorney General explained that the powers are no different from those that exist under the Quarantine Act and under section 3 of the Grenada Constitution.

CLEARING THE AIR ON ASKING QUESTIONS AT PARLIAMENT

ever one where those questions were asked,” Augustine said.

Clerk of Parliament, Andrew Augustine, is seeking to clear the air on the process of asking questions and providing responses to questions in Parliament.

Augustine explained there are two types of questions that are posed in Parliament: Urgent and Regular. Urgent Questions require an oral answer, while Regular Questions require research and data and responses are submitted in writing.

GIS sought an explanation from the Clerk after comments were made by some on social media accusing the Government of refusing to answer questions posed by the Leader of the Opposition, Tobias Clement.

“The leader of the opposition may submit what is called an Urgent Question and an Urgent Question, the expectation is that the Minister on the other side, or the other MP, would have that information at his or her disposal. It is different from a Regular Question, which will require some more in-depth research and finding of information, which is not readily at that person’s disposal. So, for regular questions, the criteria

and determination are: Is that information readily available, or is there a reasonable expectation that MP will have that information and the speaker is the one that finally makes that determination, based upon the context in which the question is asked. So, a question which requires data, would be a regular question. A question which does not require data, but which requires a statement or fact about something else, could be an Urgent Question,” Augustine said.

Provisions are also made for answers to be submitted before the 30-day period.

Augustine went further to explain, saying, “For example, we heard a question today, where the answer was supplied, or a Regular Question, but some of it was supplied even prior.

The Minister for Agriculture already sent in an-

According to Parliament Procedures, questions go into the Office of the Clerk of Parliament first, then go through the proper channels for an appropriate response. If the question is submitted at one sitting of the House then it is expected to be answered at the next meeting, which can be a month apart.

swers to the question, which is deemed to be

“The Clerk will disseminate the question to the relevant Ministry, on behalf of the leader of the opposition, and the Ministries will begin working on facilitating the answers for the MPs. That’s a general expectation. So, it will be reasonable to expect that a Regular Question the answer may be given at the next sitting of the House, or the next sitting of the Senate - which-

available to the leader of the Opposition. So,

a Regular Question and that happened within a seven-day period, so if the Minister has the answer readily available in terms of data, they may submit it sooner. It doesn’t have to be the next meeting of the House. Whenever they send their answers, the clerk now makes it the Clerk does not have to wait till the next meeting for the answer to be presented to the leader of the Opposition. As soon as it comes in, that answer goes to him or her so that they could do their evaluation and, if necessary, submit further questions.”

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA DONATES MASKS TO GOVERNMENT OF GRENADA

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Ten thousand N95 face masks are the latest donation from the Peoples Republic of China Zhejiang Provincial Government to the Government and people of Grenada, to help in the containment of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Peter David, accepted the donations from Ambassador Dr. Zhao Yongchen, during a ceremony at the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Grenada.

Ambassador Zhao Yongchen said this is the fifth handover of medical supplies to Grenada, since the coronavirus came to Grenada’s shores in March 2020. He said China highly regards its diplomatic relations with Grenada over the years and remains committed to assist Grenada in the fight against the deadly coronavirus.

The Ambassador said the Grenadian Government has taken effective measures in controlling the spread of the virus and the next step is to promote economic recovery. He also said China’s economy is gradually recovering, as the GDP, in its second quarter, stands at 3.2 percent.

Ambassador Zhao Yongchen said China stands willing and ready to lend a hand in the continued strengthening of the health sector and anti-epidemic cooperation, including technology and experience exchanges with

Grenada, as well as cooperation in agriculture, education, tourism, economy and trade and other fields, to help Grenada’s economy recover after the pandemic.

Hon. Peter David expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping, the Central and Zhejiang Provincial Government and people of the People’s Republic of China. The Foreign Affairs Minister said the continued support from the Government and people of the Peoples Republic of China shows that the relationship between Grenada and China goes beyond the level of Central Government, but the relationship exists also at the provincial level and among private sectors in China. The relationship between Grenada and the People’s Republic of China is one that has grown over the years, one that is people centered and one that relies on relationships, at all levels, with China and the people of Grenada.

Hon. David said Grenada was able to contain the spread of COVID-19 and keep it under control, to a large extent, due to the assistance from China, in a variety of forms, with PCR testing machines, rapid tests and masks. China has helped Grenada, at every level, with the fight against the COVID-19.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said his government will continue to take the necessary steps to protect its people, especially now that our borders are open and international commercial flights are expected from August 15. The face mask, he noted, is a welcome donation, as Government will have to properly outfit frontline workers, while they engage visitors to Grenada.

UPGRADE OF PLAYING FIELDS

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LIMES PLAYING FIELD The Grenada organizations in Canada are making clear their commitment to support the efforts of the Government of Grenada, in keeping the country safe, during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Grenadian diaspora and the Grenadian Consulate, in Canada, made a financial contribution towards the effort and the items were purchased by the Hon. Peter David.

Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs and Consul General in Toronto, Derrick James expressed thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for facilitating the handover of the sanitizing solution.

Ambassador James said, “We thought that making a contribution would be important, in that fight of the COVID and this is the first of two donations. We have a second donation coming. In fact, we have decided to make a second donation of hand sanitizers, so we are going forward to make that purchase and leave a donation to the Government and they will make the decision as to where it’s necessary to use it. I know that this set was used for the buses, to sanitize the people on the buses and we were pleased that it was used for that cause, because a lot of people will benefit from our donation and we will continue to see how we could support Grenada in this fight.”

The items were presented to the Minister with Responsibility for Transportation, Hon. Gregory Bowen, by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Peter David.

“On behalf of the Ministry for Foreign affairs and Diaspora affairs, I’m happy to make this donation of hand sanitizers to the Ministry of Transport,” Hon. David said. “They chose the Ministry of Transport to make this donation, because of the urgent need in the transport sector, in the

face of the COVID challenges. I WILLIS PLAYING FIELD want to, on behalf of our Ministry, thank them for this and to wish them well, because you know that PRIME MINISTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO Grenadians in the diaspora have suffered FORMER BARBADOS PRIME MINISTER some difficulties. We’ve also had quite a few deaths in the diaspora. I want to thank OWEN ARTHUR them on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Prime Minister, Dr. Rt. Hon. Keith MitchAffairs, for their contribution and for them ell, has expressed condolences on the continuing in their efforts to ensure that passing of one of the Caribbean’s stateswe, in Grenada, remain safe, and we look forward to seeing them once Grenada men, Owen Seymour Arthur, who died opens up and we’re able to travel back early Monday morning at the age of 70. and forth between Canada and Grenada.”

Minister Bowen expressed his gratitude for the donation not only to his Ministry, but to the Grenadian population.

The Transportation Minister said, “I look forward to continuously working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that the diaspora in other sectors, maybe Europe and the U.S., can provide us with this.

This is very important, because we are spending over $50,000 per month and this will help to reduce our budget, as of $50,000. In this regard, therefore, I want to ask the public, to utilize the fluid on the buses. Ensure that the buses do what they have to do, with respect to the health and safety of all Grenadians.”

Arthur was Barbados’ longest serving Prime Minister, serving in that office for an unprecedented three consecutive terms, from 1994 to 2008.

Paying tribute to the former Prime Minister, whom he referred to as his “close friend and colleague,” Dr. Mitchell said, “Barbados and the Caribbean have lost a great son. He was one of the brilliant and best political minds of the region - a brilliant economist as well. I had tremendous respect for his insight into political and economic issues.”

Dr. Mitchell met the late Owen Arthur at the University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill Campus, in Barbados, where they both studied and played together on the UWI cricket team.

They both went on to further their studies and returned to their respective countries around the same time. “We were in government around the same time; then went into opposition around the same time. We maintained a good relationship throughout the years.”

Mr. Arthur was the featured speaker during an NNP convention, at the end of 1994, months before Dr. Mitchell became Prime Minister in June 1995.

According to a report in the NationNews.com in Barbados, Arthur, who was the country’s fifth Prime Minister, was hospitalized in midJuly with heart complications and was in the Intensive Care Unit.

Dr. Mitchell extends his deepest condolences to all Barbadians, especially Mr. Arthur’s wife, Julie, his daughters Sabrina and Leah and all of Barbados, on the passing of the former Prime Minister.