Prime Minister, Dr the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, received a courtesy visit from Chinese Ambassador, Zhao Yongchen this week during which they discussed ongoing projects and examined potential areas for deepening bilateral cooperation.
Ambassador Zhao updated the Prime Minister on the status of the 5 low-income housing projects that are currently underway in St George, St Mark, St Patrick, St David and Carriacou. All of the projects are between 80% and 92% complete, with the hand-over of the units, expected to take place in 2021, followed by the distribution process to qualifying families.
The Prime Minister said, “We are deeply appreciative of this project. As we are well aware, owning a home, provides a great measure of security for individuals, therefore through this initiative, we will be empowering hundreds of Grenadian families. These projects demonstrate that Government is in fact delivering on its commitment to provide quality housing as a top priority.”
Overall, the housing projects will comprise 647 units and applications for ownership will be reviewed by a selection committee.
Since 2005, Grenada has benefitted from close to US$200 million of grant aid from the People’s Republic of China.
Later this month, the sod will be turned for another major undertaking between the two countries, the St George Airport Runway and Road Upgrade and Rehabilitation Project, funded through a concessional loan to the Government.
It is Grenada’s first loan from the Chinese and the project which will bring significantly and timely upgrades to the Maurice Bishop International Airport, will also create employment for close to 200 Grenadians.
Dr Mitchell said, “This airport project is very important for Grenada and it comes at an opportune time. The Covid-19 pandemic has created challenges for the tourism sector but we are confident that it will recover and undertaking the upgrade now means Grenada will be well-positioned to capitalise on the anticipated growth in the sector once activity resumes in earnest. The process of finalising the project has been painstakingly slow but it was necessary to carefully review the proposals and the terms and conditions of this our first loan from China. We are satisfied with that review process and are now ready to begin the project.”
Agriculture has been a long-standing area of bilateral cooperation between Grenada and China and Ambassador Zhao said they are seeking to expand Phase 8 of the Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project. More land is therefore being sought to facilitate this and the details will be discussed with the Ministry of Agriculture before a submission is made to the Cabinet for approval.
Youth development was cited as an area where cooperation can be deepened. Ambassador Zhao said, “The People’s Republic of China attaches great significance to youth development and our country has great experience in organising programmes for our youth. We will be delighted to share experiences and offer opportunities for youth exchanges between the two countries.”
The Prime Minister, who recently assumed responsibility for the portfolio of Youth Development, welcomed the offer and suggested that further discussions be held among the relevant persons.
Grenada resumed diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 2005.
GIS
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Politics politics politics. No one wins when it’s about politics and not about the survival of the Grenadians and the Grenadian people. First of all if you dont have a home you stay with your family. Why do we need “No income homes.”? Are we trying to change a system that is working. Are we now gonna raise taxes to fix those No income Homes as they go in disrepair over the next few years? Are we creating a class of people that the working class now has to pay for. This is not a small island idea. It’s not sustainable. There is no better inspiration than the family telling you “go and get a job boy”.. After a while one usually get the picture. When the No income dwellers sit on the stoop and console each other, all we will have is new babies with the same mentality. Dont change whatz working. Now about China : There is enough evidence to prove that we will be the loser. WHEN LAND IS LEFT TO BE WORKED BY SOMEONE WHO WANTS MORE THAT IT CAN GIVE COMFORTABLY, THEY RESORT TO PESTICIDES AND CHEMICALS AND GMO TECHNICS WHICH WILL BRING A COUNTRY TO ITS KNEES AS IT DAMAGES OTHER UNRELATED CROPS (The crops that feed the masses). QUESTION :What is the monthly bill for these loans. Can we pay this bill when tourism is back to 25 percent of pre covid revenues?. Can we pay this bill when tourism is back at 50% pre covid. Can we pay this bill if China releases another virus like this one. I think we should be conservative at this point in covid. There may be some more surges in covid before the nexr 2 years. A wait and see approach will be wise. Not a good time to add dept to the economy. And that’s not politics for you or for me, its politics for the whole Country. Land should always be for the masses not for China. They took over a port when the country could not pay the monthly bill. They seem to have a “takeover clause” in all their contracts. They also try to teach their language to your people (eventually they will ask you to stop teaching yours in all schools) This is happening
In Mongolia as we speak. Mongolian teachers are being imprisoned for teaching their native language. China is seeking world dominance they can achieve this in two ways (1 ) by making a country desperate. Covid does this.. and (2) by controlling a country’s best assets. Contracts with “AI future outcome crunching” ensures that they end up on top of that country.at an acceptable time in the future. China is planning for years ahead. Many people dont know that due to plate techtonics China will not have a Sea Port.to the outside world.. Therefore they are looking to expand outside of their mainland. If they have their way, we will have to speak Chineese.
Every thing that Keith Mitchel touched on our Island has been a ridiculous failure. It is about time he step aside and go reflect on the damage he has helped to inflict on his own people. In about 20 years, he has done enough damage that will be felt by the next 10 generations of Native Grenadians.
Native Grenadian better send him to retirement quickly before he give away the port, hospital and whatever little we have left, if he has not done so already, to people that don’t look like us since this seems to be the primary factor that govern his decisions.
shut up keith mitchelle is the first ever leader in grenada to resurface and build mainly all roads in grenada. he had installed street lights and built malls and other types of infrastructure. The government along with nnp built the stadium. Please reflect on what he had done for the country and dont be going into your bad minded ways. Stop being racist towards the chinese. When you put ndc in power your salary will cut by 30% You will have to pay more taxes and people will lose their jobs. All countries have an affiliation with China including the US so it shouldn’t be a problem. PEOPLE LIKE YOU TOO BAD MINDED.
What about him building roads and installing street lights expanding the construction industry and devloping the country in the right path had been a failure huh? Go back in 2008 when the country had seen its highest level of development in the country. It all changed when you put some dumb ndc government in grenada.
You when you have bad credit you fall in hands of loan sharks. And they give you enough that you cant payback so they comes rounds with the big sticks and tow truckd.
First off Grenada HAS TAKEN NO LOAN AND SECONDLY GRENADA TOOK ITS FIRST LOAN FROM CHINA LAST WEEK. Shut up if you dont know true facts. China is doing great things for us! All countries have an affiliation with China. What can we do by ourselves?? Run our mouths and kill out each other for stupid reasons? smh
There is this chilly feeling that this here Bromance is not going to end pretty.
Debt Traps as here surely be a Divorce; but who suffers – People of Grenada.
Photo Ops are staged for nothing more than cheap Propaganda.
Is this not the very same Chinese Ambassador that assured us that the Coronavirus is nothing and they got it under control. Then he fell silent.
Talk is cheap. Strings attached to debt makes one a Puppet of their Regime.
Hope their face masks were not the kind with label being ” Made in China ” as too many lives lost to these politics of global dominance over health of the people.
Desperate times don’t mean to stoop to desperate measures selling ones Soul.
Totally agreed, global air traffic is down why would the government enter into a loan with China when we have seen so many other countries fall for the China debt trap. You see the Chinese know greedy people and I am sure they know who they can bribe. Totally ridiculous move they should be ashamed of them selves. Very disappointed in the government.
Keith Mitchel should wake up from his sleet and tell these Chinese people get the next flight out instead of focusing on a photo opp. By the way, he looks like he is under duress.
Nothing they are doing is in the interest of Native Grenadian so what is the point of have them on the island?
Chinada…
omg I think this is the best comment I have ever read on the internet.
GOOD LUCK FALLING BACK INTO A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WHEN YOU START OPPOSING AND PUT NDC IN POWER. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN AND GRENADA WILL COLLAPSE. GRENADIANS CANT DO NOTHING FOR THEM SELVES EXCEPT FOR EAT DRINK, RUN THEIR MOUTHS, PARTY AND KILL OUT THEMSELVES.