By J. K. Roberts – Sound Public Policies Advocate

The National Organising Committee (NOC) for Grenada’s Golden Jubilee joined the Prime Minister’s Post-Cabinet Press Conference on 19 September 2023 to inform the public about its existence, and in vague terms about its composition, role, agenda and mantra for the celebrations. The mantra focuses on the reechoing expressions by chairperson Dr. Wendy Crawford-Daniel thus : “We are at a point here now (’at the 50th Independence anniversary’) where we are ready to tell our stories …. ready to rewrite and define our history.  We are ready to embrace our heritage, our culture, our people and our lives …. to define ourselves as Grenadians and to develop our own national identity, free from external influence or definition”.  Crawford-Daniel also used The Bubb Report on 01 October 2023 to defend the rationales and merits for the plans of the Government, amidst uneasiness particularly about commencing on 19 October 2023 the celebrations for the 07 February 2024 affairs. Interestingly; on this Facebook Show; Crawford-Daniel continues boasting and affirming to the global community that NOC had actually started the celebrations earlier with the launch of the text “Junior History of Grenada” by Dr. Nicole Phillip-Dowe who is a member of the NOC, and has regarded this as an achievement, since it is the ”first time in our history, we (‘Grenadians’) are …. telling our own history written …. about us by someone, one of us”.

Considering the unsettled questions about the patriation for Grenada’s sovereignty; considering the inevitable need to advance Grenada’s sovereignty, governance and democracy; and considering the mantra to rewrite Grenada’s history, to embrace its heritage and culture, to define ourselves as Grenadians, and to develop our own national identity; then the NOC should also reflect a representative for the issues surrounding the National Constitution. If this is not the case about the composition of NOC, and in keeping with its call for public’s participation “through suggestions, ideas, proposals, projects, sponsorship, recommendations, constructive criticism, and as volunteers for an inclusive and truly grand Golden Jubilee affair”, which was made at the ‘alternative’ 31 October 2023 launch of the celebrations, NOC is now challenged to include and pursue the ‘imperative’ constitutional factor about the Jubilee. This Challenge can be reasonably respected and honoured, by the NOC reaching-out to civil society individuals and groups who have been participants in pertinent fora on the Constitution and are ‘anxious and zealous’ about the issues, and by the NOC assisting with continuing efforts toward the sensitization and education of the public about the foundation and essence of the Constitution.  Typical advocates on those issues include John Rullow, Sandra Ferguson and the Independent Caucus for Constitution Reform.

The September 2022 article “How Sound Is Grenada’s New NDC Government Transformational Push? – Part Four” and the April 2023 article “Constitutionally Reset Grenada At The 50th Independence Jubilee“, provide a summary of sound indicators concerning the aspirations and rationales, as well as the pathway and processes undertaken over the past decades for a new and / or reformed indigenous constitution for Grenada. Would it be of ‘sufficiency and complacency’ for the Government to present at next year’s Independence Day ceremony, the ‘promised document about Grenada’s Independence’. In response to an extreme concern often raised about the legitimacy of the Independence involving the knowledge of any “documentary evidence or bibliographical references” for the Grenadian-people, Dr. Crawford-Daniel revealed on 27 September 2023 via an interview on the Grenada Broadcasting Network, that the British High Commissioner was approached to access “that document that would have been given to Grenada at the time of Independence …. some of these very important historic documents that may have been lost during Hurricane Ivan” and asserted, so definitely the work to get the document for us has been started which is a plus. Who should be held responsible, the British High Commissioner or NOC, if the Document is impossible; and what should be concluded about the Concern and the Situation?

The Prime Minister has been scheduled as the Key Speaker at the 19th Sir Archibald Nedd Memorial Public Lecture on 22 November 2023, organised by the Grenada Bar Association (GBA).    Dickon Mitchell, who is an attorney, will deliver on “Reparations, Republicanism and The Rule of Law : What Next After Fifty Years Of Independence? It is not known whether or not the GBA is one of the many interest groups, associations and clubs in Grenada which is set to contribute to the Golden Jubilee year with “a series of educational, sporting, and cultural events and activities”; as promoted by Dr. Crawford-Daniel at the launch on 31 October.  Anyways; how appropriate and applicable is this topic for Grenada at this juncture, and what should be the tone of the presentation expected of the Prime Minister?  Furthermore; what is the goal of the presentation or, in whose interest is the topic; or is the occasion all about an intellectual and theoretical discourse which will be punctuated with empty political rhetoric? Of critical relevance; should the presentation be used to gauge the attitude and action of Dickon’s 23 June 2022 Administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with its “Transforming Grenada! Let’s Move Grenada Forward” policy? At what time has Dickon become convinced, sensitive and passionate about sovereign issues and its impact on the democracy, socio-economic welfare and sustainable development of the nation; or does the opportunity for such speeches comes as part of the ‘official position and territory’?

How critical and deep of a priority is the issue of Reparations for the grassroots of Grenada? Isn’t this issue more of an international scope involving activism, negotiation and solidarity, and which has been assigned to devoted entities?  Would the Prime Minister expound on the article appearing in the English Press “Britain Risks Being ‘Left In The Cold’ By Ignoring Demands For Slavery Reparations, MP Warns”, which references that the Prime Minister of Grenada issued fresh calls for Britain to pay slavery reparations to its former colonies, as ‘It’s the decent thing to do’? Would the Prime Minister be commenting on the article on the PBS NewsHour website, “Caribbean Nations Demand Reparations From King Charles For Royal Connection To Slave Trade”, in which attorney and historian Arley Gill who heads the Cabinet-appointed Grenada National Reparations Commission, was cited. That is; Gill voiced, “We want to encourage the royal family. We are interested in all of the institutions, governments, families that have benefited. They must come forward. The reparation is not charity.It is actually making amends”.

The issue of Republicanism, like for the ascension to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final jurisdiction on all legal matters, is of regional appetite and trend, and particularly it is about constitution reform for Grenada which requires the acknowledgement and vote of the masses.   Grenada ventured two ‘in quick succession’ (24 November 2016 and 06 November 2018) constitutional referenda with the foremost goal to appease the legal fraternity for acceding to the CCJ, under the disguise of rendering “access to justice” for the people, even amidst a litany of complaints of deficiencies and loopholes about the legal system. The October 2018 article “Grenadians Are Hauled To Vote In A Flawed CCJ Referendum” provides concerns of some individuals who decries the substance of the process. The point must be reiterated that articulations for discarding allegiance to His Majesty, and for fostering people’s empowerment, unity, dignity and patriotism, as well as about seeking reconciliation and justice with reparations by the past colonizers, but without the demonstrations of ‘genuine efforts’ towards a ratified Constitution, is ‘crude hypocrisy and betrayal’ on the part of the powers-that-be, which must be detected.

On the issue of the state of the Rule of Law in Grenada, and what is required and / or anticipated for the nation on entering the next fifty years; would the Prime Minister identify areas of abuse by the Government?  In fact; would Dickon Mitchell explain the reasons for the failure to make the commitment for constitution reform during the elections-campaign, recall the article “Is The 2022 Elections Manifesto Of Grenada’s Main Opposition Complete?”, despite when vying for Prime Ministership he declared on 18 January 2022 that the existing constitutional arrangement is outdated and counterproductive to democracy and doesn’t lead to good governance but it exploits the system for political advantage?