The long awaited report emerging from the investigation into the national anthem diplomatic gaffe at the National Stadium on February 3 has been handed in. The official announcement was made in Parliament last week Friday by Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell during a sitting of the House of Representatives at the Grenada Trade Centre.

Dr. Mitchell, although not revealing the contents of the report said that the document was handed in last week Thursday by the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) and that Cabinet may look at additional investigations into the incident.

He also noted that the report which was put together by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Raymond Charles, took longer than he would have wished. The island was left embarrassed when the Police Band played the anthem of Taiwan instead of Mainland China at an official function to hand over the Chinese-built cricket stadium at Queen's Park.

Chinese Ambassador, Qian Hongshan, and scores of blue-uniformed Chinese laborers who built the $40 million stadium as a gift to Grenada were visibly uncomfortable as they stood at-attention to Taiwan's anthem as it echoed inside the 20,000-seat venue. Taiwan was kicked out of Grenada by the Keith Mitchell-led New Natoinal Party (NNP) government following the devastation of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.

Police insiders have said that they are anxious to see whether the report had cleared or implicated the leader of the Police Band, Inspector Brian Hurst, who was subsequently suspended from his duties with the Band and posted at the South St George Police Station.

When contacted on Tuesday, Insp. Hurst told GRENADA TODAY  that he is yet to be told anything about the findings of the report. He said he had heard from several persons that the report was handed in but he did not get any official word as yet.

The official police spokesman, Troy Garvey confirmed that the report was handed over by Commissioner Winston James to the Minister of National Security. But Garvey promised to get back to this newspaper on questions asked about whether the report had in any way implicated or cleared Insp. Hurst of any wrong-doing in the diplomatic gaffe.

Political observers on the island suggested that efforts are being made to make Insp. Hurst"the fall guy" for the incident. The gaffe sparked a quick apology from Dr Mitchell who announced that an investigation will be launched into how the Band could have prepared the anthem of Taiwan instead of China.

Grenada's original stadium was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. When the NNP re-established diplomatic ties with Beijing in January 2005, China agreed to construct the $40 million stadium on the same site as a gift from China to Grenada.