WEEK ENDING FEB 08, 2003   

2003 INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE FROM PRIME MINISTER DR. THE HON. KEITH MITCHELL  

Fellow Grenadians, it is with a sense of national pride and appreciation that we celebrate 29 years of Independence under the theme "Promoting Economic Growth through Private Investment and Human Development."

The peace and stability of our society, together with the natural beauty of our environment and the unwavering enthusiasm of our citizens, are truly a winning combination. Certainly, there are global forces beyond our borders over which we have no control.

However, our faith in God, our love of Country and the entrepreneurial spirit of our people are keeping us focused on the path to our long-term vision for a healthy, educated, productive and prosperous Nation.

The issues of violence and crime, the pressures on the family unit throughout Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique and the unique challenges with which small island developing states must cope in an ever-changing international arena, dictate that we must remain united in pursuing our developmental programmes.

As we embark on another year of Independence, it is important that every citizen, at home and abroad, explore new ways to help in the process of nation building. We need to continue to work in harmony to make our families stronger, to make our businesses more competitive, to make our education system more responsive and the services in the private and public sectors more efficient.

Indeed, in order to promote economic growth, we need to support our farmers in becoming more productive by consuming locally grown foods. We need to ensure more young people get involved in agriculture by demonstrating that farming can be a lucrative and rewarding profession.

Similarly, we need to strengthen the bond between agriculture and tourism, by ensuring visitors to the Spice Isle have every opportunity to enjoy Grenadian cuisine, along with our famously warm hospitality.

In celebrating our twenty-ninth year of Independence, it is fitting that we acknowledge the struggles faced by our Father of Independence, the late Sir Eric Gairy, and all those who went before us, who endeavoured to build this Nation.

The social, political and economic landscape has changed considerably since 1974; yet the resilience of our people has been constant.

Let us continue to build on our resilience as a people. Let us protect and cherish the peace and stability we have come to enjoy and expect. Let us work together to find new ways to empower our people to ensure the financial, social, cultural and educational advancements we have accomplished are maintained and strengthened.

May God continue to bless our Nation.