One of the island's most senior journalists, Leslie Pierre is not happy with the stand being taken by members of the profession against Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and his rluing New National Party (NNP) administration on press freedom in the country.

Pierre who is the editor of the Grenadian Voice newspaper has described as "stupid" the behaviour of some members of the media who are unhappy with a threat issued to them by the Mitchell-led regime.

The veteran journalist made his position known in a message sent to Senior Reporter with the GRENADA TODAY newspaper, Alpha Farray in which he tried to belittle her.

Pierre has criticised these media workers for having what he refers to as a "political orientation" in their interpretation of the warning notice. About two weeks ago, several media workers protested against the threat by staging a walk-out during a press conference held by Tourism & Culture Minister, Brenda Hood.

Pierre himself had staged a walk-out on Prime Minister Mitchell when the Grenadian leader had praised former marxist leader Maurice Bishop for the contribution made in the development of the island.

The journalist was jailed without trial by Bishop's 1979-83 People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) for starting the Grenadian Voice newspaper.

Following is the text of Pierre's correspondence to Farray who is an executive member of the Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG):

Dear Alpha

Let me make it clear that I am not attempting to intimidate you or to threaten the 'freedom of the press' but I have to say that following my disappointment in your joining in the stupid behaviour of some media workers because of their political orientation in respect of a 'warning' which was addressed to a particular electronic network which, as I understand it, made no report or complaint to MWAG, that your paper, in an article I suspect was written by you, could, without any foundation, attribute certain actions to me.

Perhaps I should apologise to you for attributing to you the sense to know that I cannot summon any meeting of MWAG and also have no authority to 'demand' anything of GBN. However, if you know anything at all, I am sure you know that things like that will never bother me.

By the way, perhaps you can help me. Does the M in MWAG now stand for Michael?

Yours very sincerely and unperturbed

Leslie Pierre
Publisher/Managing Editor
The Grenadian Voice
Spice Island Printers Ltd
10 Melville Street
P O Box 3 or 633
St George's, Grenada, W I
Phones (Office): + (473) 440 1498/3983
Fax (Office): + (473) 440 4117
Cell + (473) 407 0841