el oe

WORLD

Continued from page 1

‘* All means all,’’ Shevardnadze
noted, ‘every last one, the whole
thing.”

However, he said, at Vienna
the Americans backtracked on
this principle at several points.
‘For example, they claimed that
the agreements had only been to
eliminate missiles, and that
bombers were exempt. Now,
everyone knows that the main de-
terrent strength of the USSR lies
in missiles, while the Americans
possess a fourfold advantage in
strategic bombers. So this LS.
revision of the Reykjavik agree-
ment turns out to be just a new
way of pursuing an old goal: to
achieve military superiority over
the USSR,” he said.

2.) Medium-range nuclear
weapons: In a stunning conces-
sion to western demands, the
USSR has agreed to set aside the
problem of the “independent”
British and French nuclear strike
forces, and to accept a zero-level
of Soviet and American weapons
of this type in Europe. Soviet me-
dium-range missiles in Asia

would be reduced to 100, with the
U.S. entitled to maintain an iden-
tical number on its home soil.

_ The level of short-range nu-
clear weapons in Europe would
be frozen, with immediate nego-
tiations to arrange their complete
withdrawal.

The offer to leave British and
French nuclear forces out of ac-
count must have been an extreme-
ly painful concession for Soviet
leaders to arrive at. After all, both
of these.nations are NATO mem-

bers, both possess rapidly ex-.

panding nuclear arsenals, and
both aim their weapons exclusive-
ly at the USSR. Shevardnadze
stressed that this Soviet compro-
mise must be taken as part of the
package, and not as a separate
tidbit that might be selected from
it.

3.) Star Wars: On this difficult
issue, the USSR proposed that
both sides pledge not to withdraw
from the Anti-Ballistic Missile
(ABM) treaty for a period of 10
years. Research and testing in the

laboratory could proceed but
tests in space would be banned.

Negotiations should begin
immediately, Shevardnadze said,
to clarify the meaning of the ABM
treaty on all contentious points.
Within 10 years, he said, the two
sides, bargaining in good faith,
ought to be able to come to a
common resolution of this ques-
tion.

However, Shevardnadze said,
the Americans at Vienna seemed
less inclined than ever to give any
ground on Star Wars.

4.) Comprehensive Test Ban:
The USSR, said Shevardnadze,
remains committed to the ideal of
a complete and total cessation of
nuclear weapons testing, and be-
lieves that negotiations toward
that end should begin at once. He
described the U.S. reponse to this
proposal as ‘‘disappointing ’.

This throws into doubt the con-
tinuation of the unilateral Soviet
testing moratorium after its ex-

piry at the end of 1986. Although
many observers here are specu-
lating that the voluntary ban will
be renewed once again, Shevard-

United States responsible for uncertain climate

nadze warned that ‘‘the USSR
can not go on endlessly maintain-
ing a one-sided measure to the
detriment of its own security”’.

On the whole, the Soviet For-
eign Minister characterized the
Vienna meeting as ‘‘a step back-
ward for arms control,” and ob-
served with some apparent
frustration that ‘‘the situation is
now more complicated, more dif-
ficult and more volatile’.

Although the Soviet position in
this process seems unambiguous
and systematic, the disposition of
the U.S. leaders is a growing mys-
tery. Was Reagan’s agreement to
a sweeping arms control agenda
in Reykjavik sincere — or was it a
cynical effort to manipulate pub-
lic opinion on the eve of the U.S.
Congressional election? ~

Exact answers to these ques-
tions may never be known, but it
is clear that an intense struggle is
underway within Washington’s
corridors of power.

Those who hope to find a way
to rationally manage the Ameri-
can-Soviet relationship, to co-
exist and compete peacefully, are

~summit willing to accept

up against an entrenched cold wal
establishment with tentacles ©
influence and vested interest ©
tending into every corner ©
American life. An understand
of this may be the best staff
point for unravelling the bizal™
twists and turns of Americal
plomacy since Reykjavik.
Knowledgeable observ!
point out that there is a pree
for the current situation. FolloW
ing the first Geneva summit me
ing in 1955, the U.S. did ana up
about-face and publicly dis
avowed its own earlier prmOF
ganda proposals in favor of
disarmament — after the S0
unexpectedly turned up at

implement them all. Many
hard years of cold war follo¥

What will happen now is uf
tain, but there is no doubt thal
climate has turned suddenly
and dangerous. Not only has
spirit of Reykjavik gone »
there are not even any plans
further high level meetings ©
tween the two sides. Winle
seems, iS upon us.

From the
Caribbean

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada — It was nearly midnight

Grenada: crisis situation is gett

Union.

where authorities sai

quarry operated by

TRIBUNE PHOTO: NORMAN FARIA

ing a lot worse

they can now do what they want under the NNP. T

are more brazen now,
Secretary of the Commercial and Industrial Work

Chester Humphrey,
paign on his behalf stop his extradition to the U.S. #8"
d he had helped ship guns tO
NJM during pre-revolution times, is now a leader
the Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAW
Terming the situation
September’s entrenchment of a number of workers ©
the Ministry of Works as sy™ Ay
matic of government’s and big business attitude 10

’ said Elliot Bishop, the Gene™

who saw an international cam

“very bad’’, he cited this

at!

as we walked across the rain spattered tarmac from the
inter island commuter plane towards the new terminal at
Grenada’s international airport.

I looked around, hoping perhaps to see some sign to
mark the contributions of the Cuban internationalist
workers and Grenadian workers who moved a virtual
mountain, filled in a small lagoon and other feats to build
the facility during the People’s Revolutionary Govern-
ment administration.

I searched the facade of the new terminal, trying to
spot something — a plaque perhaps — to show that the
airport was nearly completed when U.S. paratroopers
landed in the early morning of October 23, 1983.

Peering along the outlying structures where over 50
Cuban and Grenadians lost their lives in a valiant action
against the Yankee invaders, my eyes sought out some
memorial to remember those who shed their sweat and
blood for the significant project which the Grenadian
people enjoy today.

There was none.

Indeed, the New National Party (NNP) administration
of Herbert Blaize, put in power in December, 1984 by
Washington, has steadfastly refused to name the airport
after the late Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop
who had died so tragically along with other outstanding
PRG leaders in the days before the invasion. This, de-
spite the sentiments of not only many Grenadians but
throughout the region that the facility be so named.

After a week’s stay in the Spice Island (so named after
one of its main agricultural exports, nutmeg) and talking
to islanders from all walks of life, it’s clear that many of
them are beginning to see the real colors of the NNP.

For one thing, a crisis situation is getting worse in
nearly every sector of the economy following a decline in
Yankee war money spending.

Cutbacks are now the order of the day. In a “‘Throne
Speech”’ last month, NNP Governor General Sir Paul
Scoon announced that due to weak government
finances, there would be a slashing of the civil servant
work force. Already, retrenchment is well under way,
with a number of teachers sent home — all of this in
addition to the virtual mass dismissal of some depart-
ments such as the island’s radio station in the weeks
following the invasion.

Chester Humphrey (top of line at right) of TAWU leads a
delegation of retrenched quarry workers to the Ministry of
Works in St. Georges’.

Colleagues whom I worked with at Radio Free Gre-
nada under the PRG, are now walking the streets looking
for jobs they know will be long in coming. Others have
taken jobs which waste their training.

Even medical doctors are unemployed, incredibly as it
may seem in a developing country where the ratio of
doctors to population is among the lowest in the region.
In an interview with the Tribune, one of the 10 Grenadian
doctors who graduated from the University of Havana
this past August and who had applied to the government
for jobs said they have been told: “Don’t call us, we'll
call you’’. The doctor, who like the rest who went to
Cuba under scholarships given to the NJM by the Cuban
government, said that the authorities had told them no-
thing as to why they are not given jobs. Meanwhile, the
doctor, who requested anonymity out of fear of victim-
ization, pointed out that some outlying areas of the island
are able to see a doctor only one day a week.

The doctors’ plight has been taken up by the Island’s
Trade Union Council which has called for the NNP to
hire the medical practicioners. The unemployed doctors,
who have 13 more colleagues studying in Cuba, have
formed an association to improve their chances of
exercising their democratic right to work.

When contacted by the Tribune, Chief Medical Officer
and Chairman of the Grenada Medical and Dental
Registration Board, Dr. Frank Alexis, refused to discuss
the matter.

In their recent AGM, the Trade Union Council passed
a resolution expressing concern about the growing
unemployment situation and described the NNP as ‘anti
worker”’. In interviews with the Tribune, several trade
union leaders termed the present state of affairs,
‘‘dread”’ and an industrial climate ‘‘permeated with ar-
bitrary dismissals.”

: ‘*Management is simply refusing to negotiate with the
unions. This was never the case before, but they feel

labor movement.
‘In addition to violating the contract agreement
had with the Ministry, the laying off of the work
some of whom had worked there for over 10 ye
showed the heartlessness of the regime. The wor
were sent home at a time when school was reopeh™
Just around the time when children are expected we
provided with school books, uniforms and so Of; ~
gued Humphrey. a
On the political arena, the quietness at the me
quarters of the Maurice Bishop Patriotic Mover
(MBPM) on a back street overlooking St. George shy
bour belies the admiration and seriousness with “a
the party of the Grenadian Revolution is viewed by ™
islanders. Wi
Admittedly, as MBPM leader George Louise? 5,
readily concede, the crude redbaiting campaler
Washington and the NNP has some effect in keer.
more Grenadians from joining and backing the Pa
But, says Louison, with each passing month this ta"
getting harder and harder to employ. eal
‘“Grenadians are looking at such events as the R <¢
and Gorbachev talks. People are beginning to
through the anti-communist tactics. They are Jooki"
issues to see who can deliver and it’s clear that the itt
is a big disappointment,” Louison, former Agneit
Minister under the four and a half year PRG, 10
Tribune. .
Meanwhile, in a big rally in the Market Sq of!
downtown St. George’s to mark the Anniversary © 4;
death of Bishop and several other colleagues ont
tragic day back in October 1983, another leader ©
MBPM, Kenrick Radix, told a gathering of over
people, mainly unemployed workers and union!
get ready for ‘‘a second Revolution. ftic
““We are the coming power in this land ..+ (
power) must be placed back into the hands of Uy
ganized people,”’ he said, adding that the Bi
calling for October 19th to be made a public
Significantly, the authorities could only mus
at an ecumenical service at a large cricket playing”
‘‘commemorate’’ the anniversary of the invasi
praise Washington for what it calls ‘‘assistanc® *

8 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 19, 1986