Former Grenada Attorney-General and leading newspaper columnist, Lloyd Noel is taking serious a threatening letter sent to him by a non-national close to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell who is under public pressure over the Switzerland Briefcase scandal.

Noel told GRENADA TODAY Tuesday that he has sent the letter that was faxed to his office by Geoff Croome to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) to take whatever action they deem necessary and appropriate in the circumstances.

Croome warned Noel that he intends to seek him out "and wherever I first find you unprotected..... I shall administer to you the treatment you deserve", the non-national told Noel.

In his letter, Croome said that he was upset over remarks made in last week's column in this newspaper by Noel about Grenada's Ambassador to the European Union (EU), Joan-Marie Coutain whom he claimed to have "a close personal relationship and whose honour and reputation it is my duty to defend".

Local attorney, Anslem Clouden confirmed to this newspaper that he was in conversation with Croome who asked him for use of his "horse whip" on Friday in order to chastise someone who had offended him.

Noel suspects that Croome was making reference to him since the newspaper was already out and the article read by many persons on the island. According to Noel, since he returned to Grenada over 32 years ago from England where he studied law, he had never ever been threatened either by letter or in person by anyone in Grenada.
He insisted that he did not write anything "nasty" in the article about Croome's alleged lover to warrant such a letter from him.

Noel said he feared that things are getting "nasty" in Grenada in light of some people now seemingly resorting to threats of violence on others for writing things that they are not happy with.

He spoke of the current situation in the country reminding him of the dark days of the 1979-83 leftwing rule of Maurice Bishop's People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) when opponents were detained without charge and trial and press freedom was curtailed.

Noel vowed to bring the matter of Croome's threat to him not only to the attention of the Grenada Bar Association but the wider world.

Following is the full text of Croome's letter:

Lloyd Noel, Esq
Chambers, Church Street,
St. George's

27th June, 2005

Sir,

I have read the article, "What a farce and legal nonsense" published under your name in "Grenada Today" on 24th June, 2005. In that article you state that the US$15,000.00 in US$100 notes said by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister to have been given to him by Resteiner "may have been in......diplomat Coutain's hand bag."

I understand, as any of your informed readers would, that "diplomat Coutain" is intended to identify Her Excellency Joan-Marie Coutain, Ambassador of Grenada to the European Union and head of Grenada Mission in Brussels, Belgium.

Your reference and its implication of collusion with the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister in some dishonest or deceitful act is entirely without justification and is an uncalled-for comments on the honesty and integrity of a lady with whom I have a close personal relationship and whose honour and reputation it is my duty to defend.

Accordingly, I demand your undertaking to publish a suitable retraction of and apology for your words in the next edition of the same newspaper.

I give you due notice that, since the laws of Grenada deny one decent and timely satisfaction in matters of this nature, I shall, unless that undertaking is received by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 28th June, 2005, thereafter seek you out and wherever I first find you unprotected by the presence of a lady, I shall administer to you the treatment you deserve.

I remain, Sir

Yours faithfully