CATEGORY:SPECIAL REPORT
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By Trevor Thwaites (Inside Grenada correspondent)


ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada - The Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) is now available to the public, five years after the process began. Government established the Truth and Reconciliation Committee in September of 2001 to compile the report surrounding the dreadful experiences that occurred in the country during the period 1974 to 1984. The report was compiled after the committee heard interviews from people and officials about the pre and post events of the country’s independence, the People’s Revolution in 1979, the bloody Coup d’etat in the People’s Revolutionary Government on October 19, 1983 and the US-led Intervention a week later.

11 recommendations have been presented in the report, which the government will be taking to the public in an attempt to win approval for their implementation, in an attempt to bring healing and closure to the dreadful period of the country’s history. They include the retrial of the 17 prisoners, who were initially sentenced to hang, but subsequently had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, the renaming of the Point Salines International Airport to the Maurice Bishop International Airport, the erection of monuments for those killed during the US-led intervention and the discovery of the bodies of former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop among others.

Legal Affairs Minister, the Hon Elvin Nimrod, said that a three-member committee has been appointed to oversee the implementation of the recommendations. “The committee hopes to conduct statewide consultations to get the input of the public as to how best some or all of the recommendations can be implemented”, Nimrod announced at a press conference last week in St George’s. He said that cabinet is seeking the advice of everyone including non-governmental organizations that are willing to provide advice and direction.

“We cannot allow it to sit on the shelf and collect dust. The public’s interest will be best served if we move full speed ahead to implement the recommendations and bring closure to the whole cloud that has been hanging over the head of nationals for the past years”, the Legal Affairs Minister remarked. His sentiments were echoed by Health Minister Senator Ann David Antoine and Tourism Minister senator Brenda Hood who said that the government is making a concerted effort to bring closure to the dreadful events in our recent history.

The Tourism Minister said that it is also important that all, especially the young population, understand the events that occurred during the period. Meantime, one of the original members of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, Father Mark Haynes, has issued a strong appeal to nationals to read the full text of the report and not just bits and pieces. “I want to emphasize that the report should be read in proper context; because what I find is that some people pull out bits and pieces here and there and make statements out of context.”

“I think it is extremely important that you read and analyze the documents in the proper context. This approach will help you to understand what the document is all about”, Father Haynes said. He is hopeful that the Report will bring some healing to the country. “It has been a long process. We have learnt and discovered a lot.” Father Hayes was a founding member of the South Africa style Truth and Reconciliation Committee that was established on September 4, 2001.