NEW YORK, USA: The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has written a strongly-worded letter to Grenada Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell, calling on him to "desist from any efforts to curtail the work of the press." The letter was dated June 9, 2004 and copied to a number of international media organisations, the OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and Lorne W. Craner, United States Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour. The letter says the CPJ is "alarmed by the Grenadian government's recent attempts to intimidate the local media, including legal actions against the press for reporting alleged wrongdoing by you." The organisation referred to a criminal libel lawsuit in Grenada brought by the Prime Minister against Miami-based financial newsletter Offshore Alert and its publisher, David Marchant, a British national. It also mentions the suspension on May 11, of Odette Campbell, news director for the Grenada Broadcasting Network, which is 40 percent owned by the Grenada government and she walked out of a press conference held by the minister of tourism to protest the government's attitude toward the local media. "On May 27," the CPJ letter says, "Leroy Noel, a Grenadian freelance reporter, was held for questioning about the content of an article published on May 21 in the Grenadian weekly Spice Isle Review." "The article, 'NNP Days Are Numbered,' reported on connections between members of the ruling New National Party and people accused of corruption," the letter, signed by CPJ Executive Director, Ann Cooper says. "The journalist, who regularly contributes to the Cayman Islands-based Caribbean Net News, told CPJ that four police officers detained him while he was on his way to work at around 6:15 a.m. Authorities released Noel four hours later without charge." "The recent actions of intimidation taken by your government are a clear attempt to obstruct Grenadian journalists from doing their work of disseminating information," the letter adds. "With all due respect your actions call into question your personal commitment to democracy. We call on you to drop all legal actions against journalists and to desist from any efforts to curtail the work of the press," the CPJ says. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com