Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas, who has been bombarded with complaints from Grenadians about the visa restriction that was imposed on nationals travelling to Canada, has raised the issue with the Barbados-based Canadian High Commissioner to the Eastern Caribbean, David Marshall. The visa requirement was imposed following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, and concerns from US and Canadian officials about the ease with which non-nationals of Grenada were able to obtain Grenadian passports under the country's Economic Citizenship Programme. Many Grenadians, who previously were able to travel to Canada for personal and business reasons without having a visa, have blamed the Grenada government for forcing the Canadian move of 2001. They have expressed a desire to see the lifting of the visa restriction. Thomas discussed the issue with Marshall, who was visiting Grenada last week. He said the High Commission was sympathetic to the concerns of the Grenadian people. Thomas, who heads the main opposition National Democratic Congress, said he would use future meetings with Marshall and other Canadian officials to press for the lifting of the visa restriction. The meeting with Marshall was one of two that Thomas held last Tuesday with visiting officials. He also met with European Union representative Valeriano Diaz, who is also based in Barbados. Thomas said both meetings were useful and went very well. The NDC leader said historically Canada is known to have assisted Grenada in different areas and the Canadian High Commissioner made a commitment to continue under the CIDA program, and one area outlined was that of economic development. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com