ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – About 300 demonstrators yesterday arched through the Grenada capital, St. George’s, demanding the release of leftist Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, said to be under house arrest here since Thursday, amid inside efforts by government radicals to unseat him.
The peaceful two-hour march in brilliant sunshine, was led by Minister of Industrialisation and Labour Kendrick Radix, who told the crowd Mr. Bishop was being held at his official residence, Mount Royal.
Mr. Radix said he had warned his colleagues since last year that Mr. Bishop’s deputy, Bernard Coard was seeking to seize power.
“If Maurice (Bishop) is not released by Monday,” Mr. Radix declared before the chanting crowd, “there must be no work, no school, and no play in Grenada.”
Today’s march was the latest development in a political crisis which erupted here Friday with an announcement by information minister Selwyn Strachan that Mr. Bishop had been replaced by Mr. Coard.
Mr. Radix called on the demonstrators to show their support for Mr. Bishop and reject Mr. Coard as Grenada’s leader.
“I don’t have my health,” the ailing member of the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG] declared as the two mile march ended at the docks, “but I have to pick up my guns again.”
An AP report yesterday said Mr. Radix blamed Bishop’s detention on deputy prime minister Bernard Coard, who Mr. Radix described as “obsessed with power,” but lacking the popular support to successfully remove Mr. Bishop from office.
He told the demonstrators not to be surprised if many of them were imprisoned by last night. But he said Mr. Coard would not dare to use the army against them. (CANA]
Source: This article was first published by The Nation Publishing Co. Ltd. On October 16, 1983.
