St. George’s, Grenada August 23rd 2011: Continuing on his North American tour, Dr Mitchell arrived in Washington, DC on August 17, after a highly successful meeting with Grenadian and Caribbean nationals in Miami. The primary purpose for his return to the US Capital was a meeting with officials of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau – Jusissa Reynoso, Director of the Caribbean -Makila James, and Barbados, Eastern Caribbean and Trinidad &Tobago Desk Officer – Karen Jo Mc Isaac welcomed the former Prime Minister to the Bureau. A wide range of topics relevant to the mutual interest of Grenada and the U.S was discussed.
Among these were the relationship with the Grenadian Diaspora in the U.S, the significance of their contributions, and the effect of investor’s confidence on foreign investment in Grenada. Dr. Mitchell raised concern about, and appealed for support to deal with, the uncertainty of the Grenada economy and the negative impact of the extremely high level of unemployment.
US officials inquired about news coming out of Grenada from various sources regarding a disagreement within the NDC, and what the media portrayed as leadership challenges. Questions were also asked about the health of democracy in Grenada and the concerns raised by the World Bank regarding the size of the Grenada Public Service.
During discussion of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, the Former Prime Minister thanked the US for the support provided in helping to build the capacity of the Grenada Coast Guard to protect Grenada’s waters. State Department officials wanted to learn more about the FIU Bill and the Integrity in Public Life Act, and the status of activities in these areas.
