The Hamlet Media Group Inc, the parent company of CARIBUPDATE NEWS SERVICE, is pleased to have been informed by the Government of Grenada that it has backed down from its position that our correspondent Tenesha Thomas should leave the island.
On Thursday, Ms Thomas was given 24 hours to leave the country. But this was later extended until Tuesday, February 19 after it was found there was no available flight to Kingston from St George's.
Over the weekend, more international organisations joined in the condemnation of the Government of Grenada for its insistence that Ms Thomas leave the country before her assignment was completed.
The Jamaica Government on Monday also demanded an explanation from the government of Grenada. That explanation is expected to be sent to Kingston on Tuesday.
The decision by the Government of Grenada is a vindication of our stance and protests that the original decision defied logic and reasonableness, and threw an unfortunate spotlight on the government's seeming intolerance of robust and independent reporting.
It also proves that Ms Thomas broke no laws, nor was in any need of a CARICOM Skills Certificate to complete what is a short term assignment.
We are pleased to have stood our ground in the name of press freedom, and heartened by the support received from local, regional and international organisations.
In the face of an international outcry and the direct involvement of the Government of Jamaica, the government had little choice but to back off its insistence that Ms Thomas leave the island on the grounds that she had over-stayed, even though immigration officials had acknowledged they have made an error.
The CARIBUPDATE NEWS SERVICE will continue to provide the level of coverage it has become known for in the last eight years.
(The above was submitted by the Hamlet Media Group Inc. Based in Hollywood, Florida in the United States)
