Dear Editor,
The release of Bernard Coard and his associates from prison in Grenada is a slap in the face of all West Indians who believe in justice, democracy and good over evil. Here we have a truly evil man who ordered the brutal killing of a true West Indian patriot, Maurice Bishop, his pregnant girlfriend and other patriotic Grenadians. It is simply amazing that not one of our leaders in this region sees the need to condemn the release of Coard, who should really have been hanged for his heinous crimes.
The struggle between Coard and Bishop at the beginning of the 1980s highlighted the contradictions inherent in the socialism/communism of that period with Coard becoming more ‘Stalinist’ in his approach to making Grenada a full communist state. Prime Minister Bishop took a more pragmatic approach to this question and started to promote better relationships with the West. With Cuban interference in the internal affairs of Grenadian politics, the gap widened between the hardliners led by Coard, until, undoubtably with Cuba’s encouragement, Bishop became a victim of an ultra-left counter-revolution which was extremely violent and cruel, killing many of PM Bishop’s supporters. The quick response to the violent and cruel cabal which Coard and his communist wife led in destroying Maurice Bishop’s dreams was initiated by President Reagan, and the American invasion which followed has to be appreciated by the Grenadian people because it brought an end to Bernard Coard’s tyranny and Cuba’s deadly interference on that beautiful island.
It is indeed a sad day to see Coard leave jail when he should have at least spent the rest of his life behind bars for the murder of Maurice Bishop and his comrades. Shame on all the Caricom leaders for uttering not even a sound of disapproval at this terrible breach of justice!
Shame on all the Caricom leaders for not giving honour and tribute to the name and memory of Maurice Bishop by their silence! Shame on all the Caricom leaders and in particular, the Grenada PM for the wide smile on Coard’s face as he was released! Shame on all the Caricom leaders because Maurice Bishop was basically a good man and a true Caribbean patriot while Coard is a traitor and a disgrace to our history and common heritage!
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan
(Jr)
Editor’s note
In 2007 the Privy Council ordered that Coard and the others convicted of the murder of Maurice Bishop et al, be re-sentenced. Some of them, including Coard, had been given the death penalty, but this was commuted to life imprisonment in 1991. At the 2007 sentencing hearing three were released, while Coard and the remainder were sentenced to 40 years, including the time already served. The court ordered that the sentences were to be reviewed within two years; they were due to be released in any case in 2010.
