5 Responses to “Statement on Grenada, Robert ‘Bobby’ Clarke”

• Mervyn Claxton (17 October er 2009) on October 17th, 2009 at 11:06 am

  This is a very interesting, most fascinating, highly informative historical background to the Grenadian Revolution and its demise, recounted by a privileged external observer/adviser to Maurice Bishop and his New Jewel Movement who informs us, in a blow by blow account, how he moved heaven and hell to halt the inexorable countdown to the bloody dénouement which served as a thin pretext (exactly what Reagan was looking for) for American military intervention in the country. Some 12,000 medals for “bravery” etc. were reportedly awarded to those valorous American troops who, by engaging Grenada’s redoubtable army of a few hundred under-trained, under-equipped soldiers, put their own precious lives at risk for the umpteenth time since the beginning of the Cold War in order to bring freedom and democracy to a “backward”, “unenlightened” country. We in Latin America and the Caribbean have been the most privileged benefactors of such altruistic interventionist actions by our Big Brother up North. How can the region, and the South as a whole, ever repay the enormous debt it owes to that stalwart, resolute defender of human rights for its persistent efforts over the last 60 years to right the wrongs in our benighted countries? Its own irreproachable conduct in the field of human rights has set so high a standard that I fear that no country, in the North or the South, will ever be able to equal it. God Bless America!

  Mervyn

• Pirate Jenny on October 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pm

  Who is the late “NOEL LAYNE” in Bobby Clarke’s statement?

• Pirate Jenny on October 18th, 2009 at 2:13 pm

  If “Noel Layne” is Vincent Noel, consider the report made 7 October 1981 by Victor Husbands, Office of Special Investigations. In a 4-page memo to The Attorney General, Ministry of Legal Affairs, St. George’s, Husbands looks back to the operation of the Police on March 10th, 1979. The memo states in part re: Vincent Noel:

  “Comrade Noel was detained at the CID for 48 hours during which time he was neither questioned nor charged. On Monday 12th March 1979, Noel walked out of the CID at about 1450 local time unmolested, having told the diarist on duty Cpl. No. 15 Baptiste, that he had been picked up at his home on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. [03/10/79] for questioning and his time is due. (vide: Station Diary entry No. 638, Monday 12th March, 1979).”

• Gautam on October 19th, 2009 at 12:34 am

  This is a very helpful insight. This website is becoming an excellent resource for a conversation and exchange on this very important historical issue. Hopefully more contributors close to the issue will write in.

• Bobby Clarke on October 19th, 2009 at 2:12 pm

  Noel Layne referred to in my statement is in fact Vincent Noel.

  The name Noel Layne was an error on my part.

  Thank you for pointing that out to me Pirate Jenny.