BUSINESSMEN CONCERNED ABOUT LARGE ARAB PRESENCE

Two months before the Iraqi passport scandal, a group of Grenadian businessmen met with Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. Keith Mitchell to express their concerns about the number of persons from the Middle East coming into the country.

High-level sources told GRENADA TODAY that the businessmen, mainly from the St. George's area, were granted an audience with the Prime Minister in November on the initiative of a private sector individual who is close to the ruling New National Party (NNP) government.

A government insider who asked not to be named said that the businessmen expressed fears that the national security of Grenada could be threatened and/or compromised by some of these Arab nationals seen all over the island.

He spoke of one businessman pointing out to the Prime Minister the danger posed to the tourism sector if one of these Arab Nationals was to engage in a hostile act against any of the cruise ships which frequently visit Grenada.

The cruise ship segment of the tourism sector provides critical support to taxi-drivers, craft vendors and water taxi operators on the island. The source said that Dr. Mitchell thanked the delegation for their concerns and promised to look into the matter.

"All that I can tell you is that he (the Prime Minister) told them thanks for coming and sharing their concerns with him. He said that he would look into it and they left.  I don't think that Dr. Mitchell has told them (the businessmen) anything after that", he remarked. It was only last week that Opposition Leader Michael Baptiste broke the news that Barbados had deported seven Iraqis who entered the country on Grenadian passports that were acquired under Grenada's economic citizenship programme.

The Iraqis were trying to get to the U.S embassy in Bridgetown to seek visas to enter the United States. Bajan immigration officials tipped off the U.S Embassy about the development and a group of American consulate officers were dispatched to interrogate the Iraqis before they were deported by Barbados. The Mitchell government has admitted selling passports to the seven Iraqis who are living in a hotel in the south of the island.

Opposition elements in Grenada have been expressing fears that the Bush administration might retaliate against Grenada for facilitating Iraqi nationals in light of Washington's war against terrorism following the deadly September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in which over 3000 persons were killed.

The U.S is currently trying to muster world support to send troops into Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein if he fails to destroy an alleged large arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his possession.