May 01 London United Kingdom: The Foreign and
Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom has confirmed that the former Governor-General of Grenada Sir Paul Scoon would
not have acted under the authority of the United Kingdom Government when he released four people who were held in the prison on death row, who had appeals pending before the courts.
Just weeks after the United States invasion of Grenada, Sir Paul
released the four who were found guilty for the politically motivated bombing incident on June 19th 1983, where three
people were killed in an attempt on the lives of the leadership of the revolution.
Incidentally it is noted in some quarters that on that day Caribbean
News Agency (CANA) reported 3 minutes before the bomb went off in Queen's Park, "that a bomb had gone off in Queens Park,
Grenada, killing a number of people including the leadership of the country.
The Committe for Human Rights Grenada UK wrote the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office seeking clarification, "We would therefore like to know, as Grenada did not have a properly
elected constitutional government at that time, under what and whose authority, did Sir Paul Scoon release these people who
had allegedly been convicted for murder? Please do your best, in the name of truth and international justice, to find answers
for us."
The following is the full text of the letter by the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom
Mrs Noreen Scott
Committee for Human Rights in Grenada
By e-mail
Dear Mrs Scott,
Thank you for your e-mail of 20 April concerning the Grenada 17.
I have also been passed a similar letter sent to Baroness Scotland.
The United Kingdom has followed the case of the Grenada 17 closely
and has raised the matter with the Grenadian authorities on several occasions. Following publication of the Amnesty report
the UK, on behalf of all 25 EU member states, approached the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell, in January of last
year to reiterate our concerns.
You mention the question of appeal to the Privy Council. It is for
the Constitution and Law of Grenada to determine what appeals should go to the Privy Council. The UK does not have competence
to legislate unilaterally to provide for an appeal to the Privy Council where such appeal is not provided for under the law
of Grenada.
You also query under whose authority the Governor-General of Grenada
is said to have acted in a certain matter in June 1983. Although we do not have details of this matter, I can confirm that
the Governor-General would not have acted under the authority of the United Kingdom Government. I would advise you to seek
further information from the Grenadian authorities.
Yours sincerely
Mary Doidge
Mary Doidge
Latin America and Caribbean Department
