The Keith
Mitchell government has lashed out at the Media Workers Association
of Grenada for coming to the defense of the Editor of the Grenada
Today newspaper who was picked up Tuesday by the police for questioning
on alleged criminal libel.
George Worme spent nearly two hours at the Criminal Investigation
Department (CID) answering questions following a complaint made
against him by a St. Patrick’s woman who is a known supporter
of the ruling New National Party (NNP) government.
The woman
- Clythe Redhead - is one of government’s key witnesses
in the Canadian citizenship case brought against Member of Parliament
for the Town of St. George, Peter David.
Following is the full text of the government statement against
MWAG:
The
Government of Grenada is extremely concerned about statements being
made by the Media Workers Association of Grenada which directly
question the independence of the Royal Grenada Police Force and
by extension the rule of democracy and law in Grenada.
The Media workers in a statement yesterday distributed by President
Michael Bascombe accused the Government of colluding with the Royal
Grenada Police Force in an attempt to suppress the media.
Government calls on the Media Workers Association of Grenada to
withdraw this unsubstantiated statement and calls on the Association
of Caribbean Media to investigate these statements made by MWAG.
The matter referred to by MWAG is a police matter and has absolutely
nothing to do with Government. However, MWAG’s statement and
condemnation of the police action seeks to interfere with the rule
of law, and the right of the police force to uphold the laws of
this country by investigating and acting upon abuse of the law and
complaints made by citizens of the country.
Government believes that media must be free but also fair. Government
believes that media practitioners while being allowed to work in
a free environment must exercise responsibility and respect for
people and institutions.
The media, like government and any other institution within Grenada
must operate within the confines of the law. Therefore Government
makes a further call to MWAG to recognise that journalists are not
above the law and are not free to make statements against citizens
of this country without clear evidence.
The Constitution of Grenada has provisions to protect all citizens
against harm, including harm to their character and reputation.
Government would like to commend the Royal Grenada Police Force
for continuing to work to protect the citizens of Grenada.
Government is pleased with the work of the police force and the
independence that police officers have shown in upholding the law
even where this has meant that some of their own have suffered.
Editor’s
Note: The Keith Mitchell government is not speaking
the truth about the involvement of the Royal Grenada Police
Force in the matter. The person who made the complaint first
went to the Government Legal Hit Man who directed the show
from behind the scene. All of this will come to the fore “in
the fullness of time” |
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