ST. GEORGE‘S, Grenada: Questions are being raised about Grenada's economic rating as reflected in the Institutional Investor Magazine. A release from the government stated that Grenada’s ability to improve its creditworthiness is the key factor, but opposition figures here are questioning the ratings saying its pure propaganda. According to the magazine during the period September 2003 to March 2004, Grenada ranked second out of 172 countries for improved creditworthiness, receiving an 8.9 point increase. For the period March 2003 to March 2004, Grenada ranked fourth out of the 172 countries surveyed, with an 8.5 point increase. It added that Grenada ranked 67th with a credit rating of 42.8, reflecting the six-month change of 8.9 and the one-year change of 8.5 points. In its March 2004 edition, the Institutional Investor Country Credit scorecard recorded a regional rating increase of 3.1 points for Latin America and the Caribbean, compared to Grenada’s 8.9. Within the region, Grenada jumped from 13th to 8th, passing Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and Belize. On a global basis, Grenada moved from 81st to 67th. The credit ratings the government says are based on information provided by senior economists and sovereign risk analysts. Countries are graded on a scale of zero to 100, with 100 representing those countries with the least chance of default This rating, government officials say, follows Grenada’s strong economic performance in 2003, during which the economy grew by 5.7 percent, compared an average in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States of 2.4 percent. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com