Gda: Squashing freedom of the press

Media workers in Grenada on Tuesday, walked out from the weekly Ministerial press conference to protest the threat issued to them last week by Director of the Government Information Service (GIS) Selwyn Noel.

The local media were harshly warned by Noel against reproducing an article from the Miami-based KYC News involving Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and German businessman Eric E Resteiner who was given a diplomatic post by the Grenadian Leader.

The ruling New National Party (NNP) government is denying anything was wrong with the relations it had with Resteiner whose diplomatic appointment was revoked two years ago. According to a release from the GIS, there was nothing improper about Dr. Mitchell accepting an all expenses paid overseas trip to Europe and the Middle East from Resteiner.

The KYC News spoke of an exchange of a large sum of money in a briefcase in Switzerland in connection with the German Fraudster. At least two media houses on the island were recipients of letters from the GIS Director warning them against publishing the article since they "will feel the full force of the law". The threat resulted media workers to call an emergency meeting of the Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG) over the weekend where a number of decisions were taken.

Noel might as well have pinned this sign on PM Mitchell's forehead: I am not a crook!