This American Life - Students Decide whether to Invade Grenada

Listen to the first part of this episode from This American Life!
A class of elementary school students visits the Reagan Presidential Library and is part of a simulation deciding whether or not the US should invade Grenada. (... guaranteed to incite ironic chuckles)

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/424/kid-politics

Houses of Parliament in Grenada

STRUCTURE

Parliamentary democracy as we understand it today is based upon the consent of the governed.  Sovereignty resides in the people and it is they who decide who shall occupy the seats of power.

Parliament consists of the Queen, represented by the Governor General, the Senate and the House of Representatives.  The Governor-General summons Parliament, brings its session to an end by prorogation, and formally assents to every bill before it can become law.  In practice, he exercises all these powers on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

The passage of legislation depends on the participation of all three component parts of Parliament.  A bill must be agreed to by both Houses and receive the Royal Assent before it can become an Act of Parliament.  The powers of the Senate and the House of Representatives are constitutionally equal except that financial legislation may not be introduced in the Senate.

All Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

The House of Representatives is directly elected by the people, and although by tradition the Senate is the Upper House and the House of Representatives is the Lower House, it is the House of Representatives which plays the predominant part in the parliamentary system.

The Parliament of Grenada came into being in 1974 when Grenada became an independent country.

THE SENATE

The Senate consists of thirteen (13) non-elected Members. The members come from different sources.  They are:

• Seven are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister;
• Three are appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition; and
• Three are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister after he has consulted the organizations or interests which he considers the Senators should be selected to represent.

FUNCTIONS OF THE SENATE

• To act as a House of review with responsibility for expressing second opinion in relation to legislative and other proposals initiated in the House of Representatives;
• To ensure proper consideration of all legislation;
• To provide adequate scrutiny of financial measures;
• To initiate non-financial legislation as the Senate sees fit: the Senate’s capacity to initiate proposed legislation effectively means that Parliament is not confined in its opportunities for considering public issues in a legislative context to those matters covered by bills brought forward by the executive;
• To probe and check the administration of laws and to keep itself informed and to insist on ministerial accountability for the administration of the Government;
• To provide effective scrutiny of Government and enable adequate expression of debate about policy and government programmes.  As a parliamentary forum, the Senate is one place where a Government can be, of right, questioned and obliged to answer.

All bills must be passed by the Senate before they can become law and it has the constitutional right to reject any bill, and keep on rejecting it as long as it sees fit.  It can also amend any bill, although it cannot initiate or increase the amount of any bill dealing with taxation or expenditure.

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The House of Representatives was modelled on the British, and even now, in any matter of procedure not provided for by its own rules and practices, the rules and practices of the British House of Commons are followed.

The House of Representatives is the focal point of parliamentary activity and public attention, the grand forum of the nation, where major national and international issues are debated; where the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition may be seen in regular confrontation; where Cabinet Ministers defend the policies and conduct of their departments; where the nation’s business in freely and openly transacted, all that is said and done being faithfully recorded.

Parliament makes the laws and the House of Representatives plays the predominant part in making them.  Any member can introduce bills, except bills involving expenditure or taxation, which can only be introduced by the government.  Since the responsibilities of government now extend into almost every sphere of activity, and since most government action involves spending money (and raising it by taxes, fees, loans, and so forth), most of the time of the House is spent on Government Bills.

Every bill must pass both Houses and receive the Royal Assent before it becomes law.  Assent is signified by the Governor General.

By law a general election must be held at least once every five years.  However, Parliament may be dissolved and an election called before the statutory period has elapsed, and this is what normally happens.  The power to dissolve Parliament is a royal prerogative exercised by the Governor General, normally on the advice of the Prime Minister.

IEDP 2011 Group Picture

Fatman George - Skin Up (Grenada soca 2010)

This is the SKINUP that Tova mentioned in today's class. However, I don't have any clue what this song is singing about.

Rum Shop Culture

Nearly every village on the island has at least one rum shop on the street corner where the locals go to gossip, play pool or darts, and discuss politics--politricks according to Bajans.  The rum shop was (and still is) a central institution in village life.  "The Rum Shop served as a meeting point for society's more colorful members.  [It] is often seen as a common ground, where people form [sic] all walks of life could meet and feel the pulse of society, exchange ideas and refresh themselves" (www.tidco.co.tt/local/THF-1996/rumshop/).  I was told once:  "If you want to experience real Bajan culture, visit the rum shops and talk."  


From: http://www.courses.vcu.edu/ENG-snh/Caribbean/Barbados/Images/rumshop.htm

Exploring the Sounds of Grenada

Week 3 of the IEDP focuses on Grenada's cultural dynamics. A cultural element such as music can serve as a means to express social commentary as well as protest. Calypso is an Afro-Caribbean style of music which originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the 18th century that blends modern folk culture with the history of slavery and colonialism. The Calypso musical style stems from the Caribbean's African heritage as well as French, Spanish, and British influences. In many ways, the Calypso genre became a means to spread news and test the boundaries of free speech under British rule. Historically, the general public of Trinidad relied upon these songs for news of the day, but the songs also inspired many political debates surrounding corruption, political independence, and social norms.

                                     (King Ajamu, http://www.ajamumusic.com/biography.htm)

Today Edson Mitchell, popularly known as "King Ajamu," is Grenada's most prominent award-winning Calypsonian. King Ajamu began singing and writing Calypso in Trinidad in 1983. His music is a combination of Calypso, soca, and reggae. Some of his most popular songs are: "A Prayer to the Nation," "Oh Grenada," "Freedom," and "Until My Work is Over."

Movie: Island in the Sun

The movie, Island in the Sun, was filmed in Grenada in 1956, helping promote Grenada as a tourist destination. The movie is based on the novel by Alec Waugh, and stars an ensemble cast including James Mason, Joan Fontaine, Dorothy Dandridge, Joan Collins.

Plot summary for Island in the Sun:

Set on a fictitious island in the Carribean during colonial British rule. It focuses on the life of a young charismatic and handsome black male with political aspirations. He finds himself confused on returning home when his romantic liaison with a white female tends to conflict with his political views. As rumor has it an interracial screen kiss caused quite a commotion in the U.S. when the film was released. The plot is further strengthened by a look at the lives of a white ex-pat family also living on the island. The family has to deal with problems of infidelity, racism and murder. Written by Warren D. Mottley <trident@toj.com>

SIDS: Small Island Developing State

List of Small Island Developing States (UN Members)
1	Antigua and Barbuda	20	Federated States of Micronesia
2	Bahamas	21	Mauritius
3	Bahrain	22	Nauru
4	Barbados	23	Palau
5	Belize	24	Papua New Guinea
6	Cape Verde *	25	Samoa *
7	Comoros *	26	São Tomé and Principe *
8	Cuba	27	Singapore
9	Dominica	28	St. Kitts and Nevis
10	Dominican Republic	29	St. Lucia
11	Fiji	30	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
12	Grenada	31	Seychelles
13	Guinea-Bissau *	32	Solomon Islands *
14	Guyana	33	Suriname
15	Haiti *	34	Timor-Lesté *
16	Jamaica	35	Tonga
17	Kiribati *	36	Trinidad and Tobago
18	Maldives *	37	Tuvalu *
19	Marshall Islands	38	Vanuatu *

List of Small Island Developing States (Non-UN Members/Associate Members of the Regional Commissions)
1	American Samoa	8	Guam
2	Anguilla	9	Montserrat
3	Aruba	10	Netherlands Antilles
4	British Virgin Islands	11	New Calendonia
5	Commonwealth of Northern Marianas	12	Niue
6	Cook Islands	13	Puerto Rico
7	French Polynesia	14	U.S. Virgin Islands

What policy issues and environmental challenges Grenada faces as a small island state, the other 37 states and 14 islands are likely to face as well.

Grenada Introduction and Major Policy Issues

UNDP Barbados-Grenada

The country outline for Grenada aims to offer a general overview of Grenada's social and economic situation. It was prepared using inputs from the Caribbean Development Bank Annual Economic Report for the year 2003-2004, the CIA fact-book and World Bank Discussion Papers available online. The complete list of references is available in the sections named Bibliography and Sources on-line.

I. Social Analysis

Unemployment and poverty remain high even with recent increase of the minimum wage. At 5% of the population, Grenada has the highest incidence of extreme poverty in the Eastern Caribbean and unemployment is estimated to have risen to 12.2% in 2002.[1] In addition, 64% of the population does not have formal education certification and more than 25% of students leaving primary school have no access to secondary school education. While the government increased spending on education from 5.3% of GDP in 2000 to 6.3% in 2002, low teacher qualification remains endemic.[2] Urban migration, urban squatting and increased demand for a safety net for the poor has made a streamlined poverty reduction crucial for Grenada.

Grenada has a 1% prevalence rate of HIV. Providing cost-effective primary healthcare continues to be one of the main challenges for government. The MDG report accounts for an increase in the number of HIV/AIDS orphans in Grenada.

II. Economic Situation Analysis

a. Overview of the recent economic performance

Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. The Grenadian economy experienced growth of 5.7% in 2003 following two years of decline since 9/11.[3] This growth reflects a 28.5% increase in the real value-added of the construction sector, which benefited from the tourism industry with the construction of a new cruise ship terminal and a major hotel construction. While the tourism industry expanded by 13.8% in 2003, the overall fiscal deficit widened to 19.4% of GDP.[4] Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output. Grenada has been removed from the list as an uncooperative tax haven (OECD) 2002 as well as the list for deficiency in management of offshore sector activities (FATF) 2003.[5] Offshore financial services still contracted in 2003 with many banks closing or liquidating.

Tourism, construction, communications, transportation, and manufacturing have mitigated declines in agricultural production. Agricultural output declined by 2.4% in 2003.[6] Sector performance in agriculture has been uneven because approximately 90% of the total farms are small farms of less than 2 hectares.  Agriculture remains important to economic activity in Grenada with potential in modernization of farms.  In response to cocoa and banana production being down, the Cocoa Revitalization Programme has been implemented to facilitate the commercialization of cocoa production. The goal of the program is to revitalize over 1,000 acres of neglected or unproductive cocoa farms.  As part of Grenada's overall economic diversification plan, the banana industry has developed an organic banana project that will export to a promising market in the UK.

The large increase in the island's debt service payments has absorbed government resources at the expense of economic and social development. Grenada's debt payment obligations rose to $112.4 million in 2003 accounting for 34.7% of recurrent revenues.[7]

b. Development Cooperation

The Government received Balance of Payment support of $10.8 million from the IMF under its Emergency Assistance Programme. Grenada commenced implementation of two capital development projects began in 2003: a Bridges and Roads Investment Project and a World Bank-financed Emergency Recovery Project and Disaster Management Project.

In July 2002, The World Bank approved a loan and credit for US$6.04 million to Grenada HIV/AIDS programming.[8] The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project will provide financial assistance to the Government of Grenada to support the implementation of its new national HIV/AIDS strategy with a focus on improvements in the national health system and monitoring the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The project will be implemented over five years.

The Caribbean Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development have co-financed the Grenada Rural Enterprise Project which aims to reduce rural poverty through rural development.[9]

The Grenada/OECS Education Development Project became effective on January 28, 2004. The project is financed through a US$11.3 million loan from the World Bank, a US$.8 million grant from DFI and a US$2.5 million counterpart from the Government of Grenada.  The project will aid the Ministry with the development of Curriculum Policy, the provision of and Education Management and Information System, and training of principals and teachers.

The EU also provides the following significant support to the Government of Grenada.  This support is as follows:

• EU - A-allocation ' 3.5 million
  This allocation is destined to cover the long-term development activities identified in the context of the response strategy, namely in the tourism sector while 10% of the allocation is to be used to for studies, audits and technical support in the area of regional integration, disaster prevention and monitoring. An indicative allocation for a project in the Information Communication Technology is also foreseen outside the focal area of concentration.
• B-allocation ' 3.9 million
  This allocation is to be used for unforeseen needs such as emergency assistance and support to mitigate adverse affects of instability in export earnings.
• STABEX
  STABEX transfers to Grenada for loss of export earnings from bananas, cocoa, nutmeg and mace are being used to support a major reform of the banana industry in parallel with efforts to diversify both agriculture and the economy as a whole. In particular efforts are underway to strengthen the national economy, improve the balance of payments, enhance the quality of life of the population in rural areas and reduce the rate of rural-urban drift.
• Special Facility of Assistance (SFA)
  Funds available to Grenada under this facility are being used to develop a more competitive agricultural sector, including the maintenance of the banana industry whilst also emphasising the need to diversify rural income generation and the provision of social recovery for displaced farmers and their families.

III. Key Challenges

a. Overview

The major policy issues for the Government at this juncture are:

• Delivery of Education
• Financial Management and Public Indebtedness
• Poverty reduction

The Government's Budget Address titled 'Promoting Economic and Social Development through People's participation' details the government's focus on agricultural development, education and training, youth development and health care. Grenada will need to support private investment through expanded public investment spending in areas such as infrastructure, water/sanitation, as well as in education and health.  The IMF suggests that the government maintain efforts to create an enabling environment for the private sector, rather than simply provide concessions.[10]  Because Grenada's tourism product and infrastructure remain less developed than its competitors, it will need active private sector participation to sustain growth and reduce poverty.

According to the Caribbean Development Bank, Grenada faces a trade-off between balancing fiscal spending in order to enhance growth and the need to manage fiscal sustainability.

b. The Environment

The government of Grenada has established a National Environmental Action Plan and instituted a legislative and policy framework for the regulation of the management of environmental hazards. Grenada's current environmental issues include:[11]

• Soil erosion; beach and coastline erosion
• Waste management, supply, and pollution
• Sedimentation of coastal and river waters
• Forestry and land protection
• Potential loss of habitat and associated bio-diversity

2011 IEDP First Class Meeting Agenda

Time: Nov. 3, Wednesday, 5:30pm-7pm

Location: Weill 1210, Frey Foundation Classroom

1.    Lin Jones: welcome, brief introduction of IEDP, and expectations (5 minutes)

2.   Professor Waltz: brief introduction of the course content and policy areas (10 minutes)

3.   Emily, Sara, Jennifer and Lin: briefly introduction of each committee, the timeline and responsibilities (10 minutes)

4.  Team Building workshop and Committee exercise (60 minutes)

5.   Submit passport copies, emergency contacts and sign contracts (5 minutes)