By Staff Writer
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Oct 11, CMC – The former president of the Grenada Senate, Chester Humphrey, says he is prepared to lead a peaceful protest march against efforts by the United States to install radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA) here.
Humphrey, one of the country’s leading trade unionists, said that the move by Washington is a precursor to launching a military strike against the Nicolás Maduro government in Venezuela.
“It will be a grave stain on the history…against the memory of our forefathers for us to join in a war against a state that has done us nothing and a state that has helped us tremendously…Venezuela has not declared war or threatened the United States,” Humphrey told WPG10 Television here.
“I am saying that by giving the United States our facilities, and the irony is that the very Maurice Bishop Airport, which they accused us of building as an air base, is now being used by the very Americans. Cuba built us this international airport; it was always a civilian airport.
“I think what this country needs is a massive peace movement, and I am prepared publicly to launch a call for all sections of Grenadian society to openly come out in defiance and in support of peace. A national peace movement pursuing peace and non-militarisation of the Caribbean is the call of the time,” Humphrey told television viewers in the programme “The Narrative”.
Earlier this week, the Grenadian government acknowledged that it had received a request for the temporary installation of radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport from the United States government.
“The Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs, and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing the request in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada Airport Authority and other relevant agencies,” the Dickon Mitchell government said, adding that it is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures.
“Any decisions will be made only after all technical and legal assessments are completed. We wish to assure our citizens that any decision taken will be guided by Grenada’s sovereignty, public safety, and national interest, including the protection of our tourism industry, the traveling public, and the country’s economic well-being,” the government said, adding it continues to keep the public informed as developments unfold.
Humphrey said that recent moves by Washington to revoke the visa of the Grenada Finance Minister, as well as to call on St. George’s to end its health brigade programme with Cuba and the decision to put restrictions on local fishing products to America, were all part of “softening” the island for the move towards getting its support for the military invasion of Venezuela.
So I am saying we find ourselves in a position if we agree to this (US radar request), it is like, for example, (Grenada) being the place from where the invasion occurred…there are times in the lives of men when you have to stand for something.
“The worst thing you can do in the face of a bully is to run. You will keep running forever,” he said, insisting, “we have done nothing wrong, we are a peace-abiding country, we have supported all international laws.
“We have certain basic principles by which we stand…and sometimes there is a price for standing up for what is right,” he added.
He said the overthrow of the Maduro government will be a “case of robbery because what Trump wants is their oil and they have imposed all kinds of sanctions”.
Humphrey said it is so “ironic that in October the Americans are back again,” referring to the October 25, 1983, invasion of Grenada by American forces following the palace coup that led to the death ofBishop, the country’s first left-wing prime.
CMC/pr/ir/2025