Presses stopped for a year

Press, 22 June 1981, Page 8

Presses stopped for a year

NZPA-Reuter St George's. Grenada The People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada had passed legislation banning the printing of newspapers for the next year, the Prime Minister (Mr Maurice Bishop) said at the week-end. He told a rally that the 'ban would last until his Government formulated a new news media policy.

It was imposed after the closure on. Friday of the new independent newspaper, the “Grenadian Voice.” Mr Bishop said the newspaper was closed because it contravened the State's Newspaper Act. The . 26 owners of the “Voice” were accused by the Office of the National Security Secretary of issuing five fcounter-revolutionary pam-

phlets during the last six months. The office said that the group was “closely linked to the C.1.A.” ■ (United States Central Intelligence Agency), and that publication of the "Grenadian Voice” was part of a strategy to disrupt the Grenadian economy. .- The plan included pressure by the United States Government on international and

{ regional agencies to deny funds to Grenada, it said. ? Grenada, a member of the ’ Commonwealth, is the most ’ southerly of the Windward • Islands in the Caribbean. The i island covers 344 sq. km and , the population is more than ’ 110,000. ■ Mr Bishop, a Marxist, overthrew Sir Eric Gairys I Government in 1979.