CATEGORY:COMMENTARY
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By Lloyd Noel, Attorney-at-law
Inside Grenada correspondent
Wednesday October 25, 2006



TOO MANY TIMES, in matters dealing with the people’s business, John Public has to rely on speculation, hear say, or half truth - because the powers-that-be, and or those in authority with the relevant and up-dated information, are not being as frank and transparent as their responsibilities demand.

The problem with that trend of behavior, is that it develops in the minds of the public - an automatic disbelief, and or up-front skepticism, of
almost everything that emanates from those in authority. And that state of affairs has been recurring so consistently, that it makes one wonder what is really happening, and why the obvious bad public relations occur time and time again.

In to-day’s very open and globally accessible news and information availability - it must be general knowledge to all and sundry in positions of authority, that whatever happens, or concocted, in London, New York, or darkest Africa, on any day of the week will be on someone’s Computer or T/V by the weekend, in some part of the Global Village.

And if the bad news did not come out at the same time it happened, you can be rest assured, that with the passage of time - however long it maybe - that bad news will one day become the talk of the Town. That scenario is the story of our daily lives in these Isles - yet the powers-that-be fall into the same trap almost every Monday morning – to their humiliation and embarrassment.

Now take the Lagoon Yacht area, and the Pandy Beach and Islander Hotel
development Complex in St. George’s. And come to think about the area, at this time when we are remembering the chaos and confusion of 1983, the premature death of Maurice Bishop and the Comrades with him on the 19th October in particular, and the very welcome arrival of the U.S.A. and Caribbean Forces to rescue Grenadians as a whole on the 25th October (exactly twenty-three years ago today) it is the very former “Santa Maria Cum Islander Hotel, cum the PRG Prime Minister’s Office and Headquarters” that is again in the breaking news at this time.

After the said Prime Minister’s Headquarters was bombed during the uprising in October, 1983, it remained derelict for years, until another crook and
fraudster named “Kozeny - the Pirate of Prague,” came on the scene with grandiose plans and a bottomless Bank Account to develop the area. At least that was his and the Government’s initial propaganda.

Most of the dealings with that “Developer,” were hush-hush and behind closed doors, or in private jets flying across Europe to places like Zurich
in Switzerland. Needless for me to repeat, save and except to say that “Smart man Kozeny” was arrested in the Bahamas and deported or extradited to the U.S.A., where
he is now awaiting trial on dozens of Fraud and money-laundering charges.

So naturally, now that another billion dollars project is again in the pipeline for the said area, questions are popping up left, right and centre. And as though those types of projects cannot come on stream without some sort of built-in drama, or subterfuge, to make them sensational. The news bulletin surrounding this latest project, is that a Grenadian Statutory body first paid about Two and a half Millions for the property; it was then sold to a European Company for about Three and a half Millions. That Company then sold it to the current Developers for about Fifteen and a half Millions - all U.S. dollars in issue.

The Government getting wind of that profitable deal, quite naturally I suppose, demanded a fifty per cent share of the profits before giving it the go-ahead. It is also in the course of that demand to share the spoils, so the story goes, that the $450,000.00 U.S. was also agreed upon - to pay those persons who are residing in the Pandy area for their relocation.
The actual amount being offered to those persons, seem to be creating a separate scandal of its own - as was reported in another newspaper last week.

Be that news bulletin as it may - the final purchaser is already on the site and work is in progress; and the size of the development, in terms of cost, has been reported to be over one point Five Billion dollars. Whether that figure is U.S. or E.C.C. it is a sizeable project, and goodness knows the Economy needs it badly.

But regardless of how desperately such projects are needed, to help reduce the escalating un-employment siege, we surely do not need them at any cost. And that is where the powers-that-be come in, to ensure that we, as a people, do not acquire ill-gotten gains and in the process suffer the loss of our own souls.

And it is precisely in that context, that the question - what is really happening? - is crying out for an answer, when we see a genuine Caribbean family from Guyana, who had served us with no complaints for over a year, being thrown out of the Island on the pretext of being a Security risk. While at the same time, an un-known developer is allowed to buy up prime property and splash about Billions - and more than likely, very few pertinent questions were asked and or followed up - especially because of our shocking experiences.

And then we had some strange happenings surrounding the TAWU and CCCI
Industrial dispute that has been in the news headline for sometime. I hope that by the time you are reading this - the matters would have been settled and the workers are back on the job sites. But the sequence of events leading up to the Workers taking to the Streets last week Friday - does leave one to ask what was really happening? And why the Company’s Officials behaved as they did?

The Labour Minister settled whatever there was, and both sides agreed to sign the Agreement on the Monday following. Instead of turning up to sign as agreed - the Company sent a message to say that those responsible for signing were out of the Island. That sounds like ‘mamagysm’ or children ‘melee’ to me. But in these topsy-turvy and counter-productive times - very strange things are surfacing, and many people are seeing behind even iron curtains, as one reader suggested to me.

His vision was, that because the CCCI - as the single Company getting most if not all of those Government Contracts for roads and bridges and what have you - is way behind the expected completion dates, on nearly all those projects that have some bearing or connection to the CWC 2007 Programme in Grenada - the Company Officials are deliberately inciting Industrial confusion, in their efforts to pass the blame unto the Trade Union and its officials and members, because they are forced or driven to take Industrial action.

Knowing the types of people we have operating in the System now-a-days, and how they have climbed to the top of the management ladder almost over-night, and the manner and method of their usual brand of ‘forced-ripe actions’ and decisions - I was readily drawn into paying closer attention to the suggestions. I would not dismiss the “desperate tactic” for one moment, in these conniving times we are experiencing.

And as we are thinking CWC 2007 and wondering what is really happening - the news last week, that the “Sunset Legislation” needed to be passed in the Parliaments of all the Venue Nations, is still pending in all of them - except Barbados and St. Kitts - left me wondering even deeper.

The WICB/CWC Lawyer from Jamaica, Mr. Derek Jones, came to Grenada and held
a public forum on the matter in April this year. The Draft Legislation from the Headquarters of CWC was then all ready for adoption. Six Months have gone by, and I heard the Clerk to our Parliament saying last week that the Draft is still in “Draft form” waiting to go to Parliament for debate or whatever. The Final Legislation, according to CWC Officials, must be in place by November 1st 2006 - so what is really happening?

Now we are hearing statements to the effect - that if this Legislation is not in place by the assigned date, then the games could be moved to South Africa. On the other hand, regarding the question of adequate Medical facilities at the General Hospital - because the work on the next phase did not start until two or three weeks ago, and in the time remaining to be CWC ready for March 2007, not very much will get done - we were told that what is expected to be ready will be acceptable by the ICC for the occasion.

If that is in fact the case - then clearly our facilities will be sub-standard in more ways than one. Yet we are hearing statements from high-powered Officials - that CWC 2007
will be the best ever. How can that be at all possible, when so many important aspects are far from the finishing line?

And if any reminder is needed, at this almost Ninety-ninth hour, the benefits to be derived from CWC 2007 - would really come from repeat visitors, who are so impressed with the facilities and reception they would enjoy during the World Cup visits, that they are ready and wiling to come back again.

Some things are not as they should be; and some people, or groups, or the higher authorities, had better wake up to the reality of what is really happening - while there is still some time left before the die is cast.