The New National Party government of Prime Minister Keith Mitchell is trying to provoke a crisis situation in Grenada, former Attorney General Dr. Francis Alexis warned Saturday.
He cautioned a noisy crowd that had gathered outside the Criminal Investigation Department of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) in St. George’s that they must do nothing that will play into the hands of the government.
“They want to provoke uprising in the country,” said Dr. Alexis, a constitutional lawyer. “Do not disturb the order. That is exactly what they are trying to do – to provoke trouble in the country.”
The crowd swelled as word spread that Senator Arley Gill, a lawyer and an executive member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, had been asked to report to the CID on Halifax Street.
Gill consulted with his lawyers, Anslem Clouden and Dr. Alexis, before walking from Clouden’s office on Church Street, down Market Hill and on to the CID.
The Senator was questioned for almost two hours by CID officers in connection with a February 26 incident in which a plainclothes police officer was apprehended as he was surreptitiously filming and tape recording an NDC executive meeting at the party’s Lucas Street office in St. George’s.
Under questioning on the night by NDC officials, Constable Kelon Noel divulged that he was sent on the spying mission by two senior RGPF officers. He eventually left the scene of the incident accompanied by Inspector Raymond “Beast” Matthews, who had arrived after NDC members called police.
The following day, the Office of the Commissioner of Police issued a statement, saying they were launching an investigation into allegations that Noel was beaten. No mention was made of the NDC’s spying claims and whether Noel was on a police assignment when he was caught.
Saturday’s questioning of Senator Gill was believed to be in relation to the purported police beating.
During the police interrogation of Gill, people waited patiently outside the CID, shouting, arguing and chanting what is now a new Grenada slogan, “Who send you?” It was in response to this question on Tuesday night that Noel reportedly gave the names, Degale and McQueen, as RGPF officers who sent him to spy on the NDC.
On emerging from the CID at around 1.30 p.m., Gill raised his fists and was greeted with hugs and cheers from supporters.
Clouden, asked about the CID interrogation, said “nothing big” happened.
“He gave a statement and that’s it,” added Clouden, a former Grenada Senator. “I can’t tell you the content of the statement. We also had an interview which we didn’t respond to.”
For his part, Gill said: “Great men like Nelson Mandela walked this path. Great men like Maurice Bishop have walked this path. Great men like Marcus Mossiah Garvey have walked this path. And if it’s that Senator The Honorable Arley Gill has to walk this path, there is hope.”
Dr. Alexis, who called for a “proper investigation” of the February 26 incident involving Noel, told reporters that he is “not a member of the NDC” and he does not support the National Democratic Congress.
“But I certainly fully support the right of all people in this country to enjoy the rights enshrined for them in the Constitution of Grenada,” said Dr. Alexis, who is leader of the opposition People’s Labour Movement.
“We hope that the state is properly investigating what appears to be, on the surface, clearly an infringement of the rights of the National Democratic Congress, and indeed, all other political parties in this country to meet privately and have legitimate discussions among themselves, far from the prying eyes and tape recorders and cameras of agents of the state.”
Dr. Alexis, a former parliamentarian who served in the cabinet of the late Prime Minister Herbert Blaize, said Grenada’s constitution guarantees the right to freedom of association and assembly, including the right of political parties to meet lawfully and have private discussions.
“There is nothing in the constitution or the law of Grenada,” said Dr. Alexis, “which enables the state to send its agents to surreptitiously tape the proceedings of a private meeting of a political party in this country. Police officer or no police officer.”