# Grenada - United States Department of State

- Grenada HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Grenada				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Grenada																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																											c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Grenada during the year.Significant human rights issues included laws criminalizing consensual sexual conduct between men, but the laws were not enforced.The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The law prohibited such practices, and there were no credible reports that government officials employed them.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Prison conditions were harsh due to gross overcrowding.Abusive Physical Conditions:  The country’s sole penitentiary was designed for approximately 200 persons.  As of August, it held 385 prisoners, including six women in a separate block.  In the men’s block, potable water was available in prison hallways but not in cells.Administration:  Authorities investigated all credible allegations of mistreatment.Independent Monitoring:  The government permitted monitoring by independent nongovernmental observers.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge in court the lawfulness of their arrest or detention.  The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						The law permitted police to detain individuals on suspicion of criminal activity without a warrant but required police to bring formal charges within 48 hours.  Authorities generally respected the law.  Authorities granted detainees prompt access to a lawyer of their choice.  The law provided for a judicial determination of the legality of detention within 15 days of arrest and required police to formally arraign or release a detained person within 60 days.  Authorities generally followed these procedures.  There was a functioning bail system, although persons charged with capital offenses were not eligible.  A judge could set bail for detainees charged with treason only upon a recommendation from the governor general.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The law provided for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.																Trial Procedures						The law provided for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.Defendants had the right to a trial without undue delay, although case backlogs sometimes meant periods of several months to a year before a case went to trial.  The court appointed attorneys for indigent persons in cases of murder or other capital crimes.  In appeals of criminal cases, the court appointed a lawyer if the defendant was unable to afford counsel.  According to the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Grenada Human Rights Organization, however, the government could not meet the demand for free legal aid.  With the exceptions of foreign-born, drug-crime suspects or those charged with murder, the courts granted bail to most defendants awaiting trial.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The law provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right.  An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for media members.Libel/Slander Laws:  Libel, slander, and defamation were criminal offenses.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The law provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum:  The law did not provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status; however, the government had established a system for providing protection to refugees.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The law provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections:  National elections were widely reported to be fair and free of abuses and irregularities.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.  There were no reports of government corruption.For additional information about corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country, and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction to monitor or investigate human rights conditions or cases and publish their findings.  Government officials often were cooperative and responsive to the views of these groups.Government Human Rights Bodies:  The Office of the Ombudsman had the authority to investigate complaints from individuals who objected to government actions they deemed unfair, abusive, illegal, discriminatory, or negligent.  NGOs and other observers considered the Ombudsman’s Office to be independent and effective.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence:  The law criminalized rape of men and women, including spousal and domestic or intimate partner rape and other forms of domestic and sexual violence.  The law did not specify criminalization of so-called corrective rape of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex (LGBTQI+) persons; however, it stipulated a sentence of flogging or up to 30 years’ imprisonment for any nonconsensual form of sex.  Authorities generally enforced the law effectively.  According to women’s rights monitors, violence against women and children remained a serious and pervasive problem.Other Forms of Gender-based Violence and Harassment:  The law prohibited sexual harassment, but there were no criminal penalties for it.  The government noted it was a persistent problem.  The Gender-based Violence Unit and Social Services within the Ministry of Social Development conducted awareness drives and assisted survivors of sexual harassment.Discrimination:  The law generally provided the same legal status and rights for women as for men.  The law did not provide for civil or criminal penalties for sexual harassment in employment.  The law did not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender for access to credit.  The government enforced the law effectively.Reproductive Rights:  There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.Contraception was widely available.  There were no legal or social barriers to accessing contraception, but some religious beliefs created cultural barriers to contraception use.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services for survivors of sexual violence, including emergency contraceptives, through Grenada Planned Parenthood.  Emergency contraceptives were also available to victims at pharmacies and clinics throughout the county, including for family planning purposes.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The law provided for the prosecution of any individual who perpetrated any act of racial or ethnic violence against minorities or persons in general.  The government enforced the law effectively.																																				Children										Child Abuse:  The law stipulated penalties ranging from five to 15 years’ imprisonment for those convicted of child abuse and disallowed the victim’s alleged “consent” as a defense in cases of incest.  The government enforced the law effectively.  Government social service agencies had programs to combat child abuse.  Authorities placed abused children in either a government-run home or private foster homes.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage:  The legal minimum age for marriage was 21, although persons as young as 18 could be married with parental consent in writing.  The government enforced the law to a limited extent.Sexual Exploitation of Children:  The law prohibited the sale, grooming, or use of children for commercial sexual exploitation.  The law also prohibited child sex trafficking and child pornography.  The government enforced the law.  The minimum age of consensual sex was 16.																																				Antisemitism										There was a small Jewish community.  There were no known reports of antisemitic incidents.																																				Trafficking in Persons										There were no confirmed reports during the year that traffickers exploited domestic or foreign victims in the country or that traffickers exploited victims from abroad.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization:  The law criminalized consensual sexual conduct between men and provided penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.  The government did not enforce the law.  The law made no provision for sexual conduct between women and did not prohibit cross-dressing.  Neutral laws such as statutory rape and immorality were not disproportionately applied to LGBTQI+ persons.Violence and Harassment:  There were no reports that police or other government agents incited, perpetrated, condoned, or tolerated violence against LGBTQI+ individuals or those reporting such abuse.  A well-known LGBTQI+ activist and musician was killed in June.  A suspect had been detained, and a trial date was pending.  Following the killing, there was an increase in homophobic comments on social media and in public.  According to the New Today news site, police directed considerable resources to the case.Discrimination:  The law did not prohibit discrimination by state and nonstate actors based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.  The law did not recognize LGBTQI+ couples or their families did not grant them rights equal to rights of other persons.  NGO representatives reported that while they had received no reports of discrimination, LGBTQI+ individuals reported harassment concerning their lifestyle.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition:  There was no process by which government allowed individuals to change their gender identity marker on legal and government identification documents to bring them into alignment with the individual’s gender identity.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices:  According to NGOs, there were no reports of forced or involuntary so-called conversion therapy on adults or children to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.  There were no reports that medically unnecessary and irreversible “normalization” surgeries were performed on children or on nonconsenting adult intersex persons.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly:  There were no laws or restrictions on these freedoms regarding LGBTQI+ matters.																																				Persons with Disabilities										Although the law did not mandate access to public transportation, services, or buildings, building owners increasingly incorporated accessibility features during new construction and renovations.  The government provided accommodations in public schools for children with disabilities; however, most parents chose to send children with disabilities to separate schools for persons with disabilities, believing those schools offered better conditions for learning.An NGO reported the main obstacle faced by persons with disabilities was accessibility.  The NGO reported access to employment also was a problem.  In addition, persons with disabilities faced stigma and discrimination when seeking employment.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provided for the right of workers to form and join independent labor unions, participate in collective bargaining, and, with some restrictions, conduct legal strikes.  The law prohibited antiunion discrimination.  Employees terminated for union activity could bring their cases to the Ministry of Labor or the court, which could order the reinstatement of the employees or compensation.  The law required employers to recognize a union in a particular business only if most of the workforce belonged to the union.While workers in essential services had the right to strike, the labor minister could refer disputes involving essential services to compulsory arbitration.  The government’s list of essential services included airports, air traffic, seaports, pilotage, and dock services.  Several of these services were not regarded as essential by the International Labor Organization.The government respected freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.  Employers generally recognized and bargained with unions.The government generally enforced labor laws.  Penalties were commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights and were regularly applied against violators.  Administrative and judicial procedures related to labor were subject to lengthy delays and appeals.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										The law prohibited all forms of forced or compulsory labor and specifically prohibited the sale or trafficking of children for exploitive labor.  The law criminalized the use of force, threats, abuse of power, and other forms of coercion for trafficking.  The government effectively enforced the law.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										See the Department of Labor’s Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings/&nbsp;.																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws:  The law provided for a national minimum wage for various categories of employment, which was above the poverty income level.The law provided for a 40-hour workweek with eight-hour days, except for clerical and shop assistants who had 44-hour workweeks, domestic workers who had a limit of 10-hour workdays, and security guards or shift workers who had a limit of 12 hours of work per day.Occupational Safety and Health:  The government set health and safety standards.  Occupational safety and health (OSH) standards were appropriate for the main industries in the country.  Experts identified unsafe conditions and responded to workers’ complaints.  Labor inspectors could make unannounced inspections.  Workers could remove themselves from situations endangering health or safety without jeopardizing their employment if they reasonably believed the situation presented an imminent or serious danger to life or health.  Allegations of violations of OSH standards were common in the manufacturing and construction sectors.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement:  The government effectively enforced minimum wage, overtime, and OSH laws.  It was unclear if penalties for violations of minimum wage and overtime were commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud or negligence.  Penalties were sometimes applied against violators.The number of labor inspectors was not sufficient to enforce compliance.  Labor inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions.  Labor officers worked with employers in sectors such as energy, agriculture, and construction to promote appropriate clothing, health checks, and pesticide safety.  The government encouraged businesses to rectify OSH violations without resorting to punitive channels for compliance.The informal sector accounted for approximately 75 percent of the labor force.  The government enforced labor laws in this sector.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																						c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Grenada
- Grenada National Day HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Grenada National Day				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Grenada National Day																																		Press Statement																														February 7, 2024																																							On behalf of the United States of America, I wish to convey my most heartfelt congratulations on the 50th anniversary of Grenada’s independence.&nbsp;&nbsp;Over the past 50 years, Grenada has worked hard to achieve its current position as a secure, democratic stalwart upon which other countries in the region and the United States can depend. Whether working together to combat the climate crisis under the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 or to ensure a safe, secure, and prosperous Caribbean region under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, Grenada is a reliable partner with strong democratic values.As your people celebrate your 50th anniversary, and as you take on the leadership role of Chair of the Caribbean Community this summer, the United States knows Grenada will remain a steadfast friend, with whom we hope to increase our cooperation on our many mutual interests, including regional security, health, entrepreneurship, climate resilience, and energy reform initiatives.&nbsp; This work will ensure Grenada’s continued economic growth and prosperity.&nbsp;&nbsp;On this special occasion, the United States wishes for Grenada and all its people a very happy Independence Day.						Tags																					Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																																Caribbean Basin Security Initiative																																																					Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy																															Grenada																								Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State																																U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis
- Private Investment for Enhanced Resilience (PIER): Final Evaluation Report [PDF] 
- Grenada HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Investment Climate Statements&#8230;Grenada				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Investment Climate Statements: Grenada																																																																																												 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																																									Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																																											Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																																											Business Facilitation																																																																											Outward Investment																																																																																	2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																															3. Legal Regime																																																									Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																																											International Regulatory Considerations																																																																											Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																																											Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																																											Expropriation and Compensation																																																																											Dispute Settlement																																																																			ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																																								Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																																								International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																																																		Bankruptcy Regulations																																																																																	4. Industrial Policies																																																									Investment Incentives																																																																											Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																																											Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																																																	5. Protection of Property Rights																																																									Real Property																																																																											Intellectual Property Rights																																																																																	6. Financial Sector																																																									Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																																											Money and Banking System																																																																											Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																																			Foreign Exchange																																																								Remittance Policies																																																																																																																		Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																																																	7. State-Owned Enterprises																																																									Privatization Program																																																																																	8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																									Additional Resources																																																																											Climate Issues																																																																																	9. Corruption																																																									Resources to Report Corruption																																																																																	10. Political and Security Environment																															11. Labor Policies and Practices																															12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																															13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																															14. Contact for More Information																																																					EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				Grenada’s legal framework for business is strong. The country is a parliamentary democracy, has a functioning court system, relatively low crime rates, and no political violence. The presence of a comprehensive investment incentive regime, stable economy, existing trade agreements, and responsive investment promotion experts contribute to a healthy and attractive investment climate.Grenada’s economy continues to recover from the devastating 13.8 percent decline in GDP in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and its monumental impact on the country’s tourism-driven economy. The tourism sector improved significantly during the first nine months of 2022 compared to 2021, however, the economy still lags 2019 figures. January-September 2022, there were increases in tourist arrivals from Grenada’s largest markets – the United States and Canada by 55 percent and 20 percent, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic levels. Stayover arrivals increased by 306.6 percent at the end of September 2022 compared to 2021. Since 2020, the small island developing state has contended with macroeconomic instability from a loss in government revenue, jobs, airlift, increased inflation, and supply chain disruptions because of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine which also threatens food security.In 2021, real output expanded by 4.7 percent driven by recoveries in the tourism, construction, agriculture, and fishing sectors. GDP growth continued through 2022 at an estimated 6 percent, predominantly driven by economic activity in the tourism, construction, wholesale, and retail trade sectors. Inflation continues to climb in part due to fuel and food prices on the international market, but the country’s financial sector is stable with reports of increased deposits and loans. Public finances increased throughout 2022 with an expanded primary surplus and a decline in public debt. According to reports from the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and IMF, in 2022 an average growth of 8.8 percent is estimated for the CARICOM region with an average growth within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) economies estimated at 7.0 percent. With average medium-term growth rates forecasted at 4.9 and 4.4 percent for CARICOM and the ECCU, Grenada’s medium-term growth is projected to be on par with regional peers.A new government won election in June 2023 and prioritized health and wellness over the next five years. The Government of Grenada also has a strong interest in improving education, agriculture, food security, the marine economy, the physical and digital infrastructure, the creative economy, energy transition, and the environment. Other international investments in Grenada include projects in construction, manufacturing, retail, duty free outlets, and agriculture. Parliament continues to review legislation governing value added tax, property transfer tax, investment, excise tax, customs service charges, and bankruptcy and insolvency. The government has an innovative investment incentives regime, which assists with streamlining bureaucratic and legal processes to increase the attractiveness of FDI and improve the ease of doing business in Grenada. This regime ensures transparency, equitable treatment of investors, and adherence to the rule of law, thus bolstering Grenada’s marketability as an investor-friendly climate.Table 1: Key Metrics and RankingsMeasureYearIndex/RankWebsite AddressTI Corruption Perceptions Index202251 of 180 http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview Global Innovation Index2022N/A https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-indicator U.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, historical stock positions)2021$41 M (Outward)$11 M (Inward) https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet World Bank GNI per capita2021$8,590 http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD 																																					1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment						    																																																Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment										Grenada employs a liberal approach to foreign direct investment (FDI), and actively promotes FDI. The New National Party government identified six priority sectors for investment over the next five years.Health and wellnessEducation with a focus on youth and sportsAgriculture, food security and the marine economyPhysical and digital infrastructureCulture and the creative economyEnergy transition and the environmentThe Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC) is the country’s investment promotion agency. It was established in 1985 to stimulate, facilitate, and encourage the creation and development of industry.The GIDC is a “one-stop shop” offering:Investment and trade informationInvestment incentivesInvestment facilitation and aftercareEntrepreneurial/business skills trainingSmall business support servicesIndustrial facilitiesPolicy adviceTo promote FDI, the GIDC adopts a targeted approach to promote investment opportunities, provides investor facilitation and entrepreneurial development services, and advocates for a supportive environment for investors to develop and grow businesses, trade, and industries.Investment retention is a priority in Grenada and is maintained through ongoing dialogue with investors facilitated by the GIDC through outreach and roundtable discussions.																																				Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment										There are no economic and industrial strategies that discriminate against foreign investors. Non-Grenadian investors may be required to obtain an Alien Landholding License and pay a property transfer tax, which levies a 10 percent fee on the purchase of shares in a Grenadian registered company or real estate. In addition, the sale of such shares or real estate to non-nationals will attract a property transfer tax of 15 percent payable by the seller if the seller is a non-Grenadian. Foreign investors employed in Grenada are required to obtain a work permit, renewable annually. U.S. investors must pay a fee of USD $1,111 or XCD $3,000 for work permits. The renewal fee varies based on the investor’s country of citizenship.There are no limits on foreign ownership or control, except for enterprises deemed prejudicial to national security, the environment, public health, or national culture, or which contravene the laws of Grenada. Grenada has accepted but not yet implemented regional anti-competition obligations. U.S investors are not disadvantaged or singled out by any of the ownership or control mechanisms, sector restrictions, or investment screening mechanisms in Grenada relative to other foreign investors.Grenada maintains an investment screening and approval mechanism for inbound foreign investment. Inbound investment is screened and approved by the Grenada Investment Development Corporation. GIDC will review the submitted proposal and advise on the requirements and processes for doing business in Grenada. Depending on the type of investment they will work with the respective ministries.																																				Other Investment Policy Reviews										A. Grenada passed its most recent Investment Promotion Act in 2014. The legislation promotes, encourages, and protects investment in Grenada by providing investors with a stable framework of fundamental and enforceable rights. It seeks to guarantee and ensure security and fairness in strict accordance with the rule of law and best international standards and practices. The 2014 Act is also in compliance with WTO regulations, the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the Agreement between the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) and the EU.The incentives regime enacted in 2016 grants incentives to ensure that all new tax exemptions are codified, restricts discretionary exemptions, and requires that the beneficiaries of exemptions file appropriate tax returns and comply with tax requirements. It also sets streamlined, simple, and non-discretionary systems/processes for the granting of incentives. The Customs and Inland Revenue Departments (CIRD) administer exemptions through a clearly defined rule-based system in contrast with past incentive schemes that required each case to be approved at the cabinet level.Under this regime, the CIRD grants incentives to projects within the priority sectors for investment. These priority sectors are tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and agribusiness, information technology services, telecommunication providers and business process outsourcing operations, education and training, health and wellness, creative industries, energy, and research and development. Other sectors include student accommodation, heavy equipment operators, investment projects above particular investment thresholds, and projects within specific geographical locations.The incentive regime seeks to provide investment incentives on a performance basis (i.e., the more one invests, the more incentives one can receive). Therefore, based on the level of investment, CIRD grants different levels of incentives in a transparent, predictable, and non-discriminatory manner.In the past three years, the government was not subject to third-party investment policy reviews through multilateral organizations such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the WTO, and the UN Conference on Trade and Development.In the past five years, civil society organizations, including those based in Grenada or in third countries, have not published reviews of investment policy-related concerns.																																				Business Facilitation										An investor must register a business name and identify whether it is a partnership or limited liability company. A registered business can be wholly owned or a joint venture. The official website of the GIDC includes an investor’s guide that details the procedures for starting and operating a business in Grenada. The guide has a business procedure flow chart and gives step-by-step instructions for various tasks from registering a business and owning properties to obtaining permits and licenses. Detailed information on business registration and timelines can be found at:  http://grenadaidc.com/investor-centre/investors-guide/starting-up-a-business/#.WKxXdfnQe70 The GIDC provides business facilitation mechanisms and ensures the equitable treatment of women and underrepresented minorities in the economy.																																				Outward Investment										The government of Grenada does not promote or incentivize outward investment. The Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, to which Grenada is a party, includes a chapter on service agreements under the European Partnership Agreement (EPA). Under certain circumstances, provisions in these agreements may offer incentives to the potential investor. Grenada does not restrict domestic investors from investing abroad.																																												2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties						    																						Bilateral Investment Treaties established between Grenada and several countries are designed to encourage and protect international investments and to ensure that investors receive fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory treatment. Bilateral Investment Treaties exist between Grenada and the United States as well as Grenada and the UK.Grenada is a member of CARICOM, established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973 to promote economic integration and development among its 15 member states. The Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas later established the CARICOM Single Market and Economy to provide for the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor within member states.Grenada is also a member of CARIFORUM and party to the EPA between the EU and CARICOM member states. This agreement aims to alleviate poverty, foster regional integration, promote economic cooperation, and propel CARIFORUM states&#8217; entry into the world economy by creating an attractive investment climate and ensuring trade viability on the world market.Grenada is also a member of the Caribbean-Canada Trade Agreement (CARIBCAN), an agreement between the Canadian government and the Commonwealth Caribbean nations to promote trade, investment, and industrial cooperation. Treaties with investment provisions also exist through the CARICOM-Costa Rica free trade agreement (FTA), CARICOM-Cuba Cooperation Agreement, CARICOM-Dominican Republic FTA, and CARICOM-Venezuela FTA. The Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), an initiative created by the United States with the Caribbean and Central America, also provides trade and tariff benefits.Grenada, under the umbrella of CARICOM, is reviewing trade agreements with Cuba and the Dominican Republic to negotiate new market access and opportunities.In 2018, Grenada signed a bilateral Open Skies Agreement with the United States. It is intended to liberalize the aviation market, remove various restrictions, increase capacity, the number of routes, and improve the ease of travel to and from Grenada.Grenada passed legislation to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act Inter-Governmental Agreement (FATCA) with the United States. FATCA requires that information on U.S. citizens with accounts at local financial and credit institutions holding more than XCD $50,000, approximately USD $18,518, be shared with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The legislation provides for the competent authority to be the Comptroller of Inland Revenue, who communicates directly with the IRS. The Comptroller mandates his/her staff to gather information from financial institutions to be divulged to the IRS. According to the legislation, “failure to comply with such a request is a summary offence punishable by a fine not exceeding [XCD] $100,000,” which is approximately USD$37,000.The legislation also provides for the protection of privacy, stating that the competent authority must protect confidential account information. Other than FATCA, the United States does not have a tax treaty with Grenada. Grenada is a member of the OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, and the government is party to the Inclusive Framework’s October 2021 deal on the two-pillar solution to global tax challenges, including a global minimum corporate tax.																																		3. Legal Regime						    																																																Transparency of the Regulatory System										Grenada recognizes that investors value transparent rules and regulations dealing with investment.The Investment Act and the investment promotion regime promote transparency by authorizing investment incentives to key sectors through the GIDC. This helps to streamline processes, standardize treatment of investors, and better define investment rights. It also provides procedural guarantees and reduces the possibility of political influence in business negotiation.Grenada also seeks to promote investment by consulting with interested parties, simplifying and codifying legislation, using plain language drafting, developing registers of existing and proposed regulation, expanding electronic dissemination of regulatory material, and publishing and reviewing administrative decisions.Tax, labor, environment, health and safety, and other laws or policies do not distort or impede investment. Bureaucratic procedures, including those for licenses and permits, are sufficiently streamlined and transparent. However, local authorities recognize that the implementation of procedures can sometimes be slow and inefficient.Legal, regulatory, and accounting systems are generally transparent and consistent with international norms. Public finances and debt obligations, including explicit and contingent liabilities, are also transparent and in keeping with international requirements.Depending on the type of investment, government will require companies’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure. Not only does this facilitate transparency, but also ensures corporate responsibility and the protection of the country’s social and environmental resources.Draft bills, particularly those that directly impact the public, often go through a public consultation process to address any concerns; and allow for revision before being brought before cabinet and passed into law.No new regulatory systems and enforcement reforms have been announced since the last ICS report.																																				International Regulatory Considerations										Grenada has been a member of the WTO since 1996 and is a party to agreements established under the organization. In pursuit of WTO compliance, Grenada is in the process of negotiating trade and investment agreements that contain provisions better aligned with the provisions of the WTO. Grenada is a member of CARICOM and the CARICOM Single Market Economy, which adheres to the international norms and regulatory standards outlined by the WTO. Also, in keeping with WTO regulations the government notifies all draft technical regulations to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade.																																				Legal System and Judicial Independence										The Prime Minister and the cabinet have the executive authority to negotiate and sign international agreements and conventions with other states and international organizations.Grenada’s judicial system is based on English common law. The judiciary has four levels: the Magistrates Court, the High Court, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and the UK-based Privy Council.The Magistrates Court primarily handles minor civil and criminal cases, while the High Court adjudicates cases under the purview of the Acts of Parliament. Appeals from the Magistrates Court are heard by the High Court, while appeals from the High Court are heard by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is comprised of the Chief Justice, who serves as the Head of the Judiciary; four Justices of Appeal; nineteen High Court Judges; and three Masters, who are primarily responsible for procedural and interlocutory matters. The Court of Appeal judges are based at the Court’s headquarters in Saint Lucia.The Privy Council serves as Grenada’s final Court of Appeal. However, the Caribbean Court of Justice has compulsory and exclusive jurisdiction under Section 211 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, to which Grenada is a party. The Treaty delineates rights and responsibilities within CARICOM to hear and decide disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the Treaty.Grenada has written commercial and contractual laws embedded within the laws of Grenada under the Companies Act No. 35 amended in 2011.The judicial system remains independent of the executive branch, and judicial processes are generally competent, fair, and reliable, however the process can be slow and lengthy. Provisions are similarly made for appeals with the relevant court. Grenadian law also provides for the use of arbitration and mediation to resolve investment disputes.																																				Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment										The economy is supported by a strong legislative and regulatory framework that encourages FDI and promotes investment initiatives. Grenada supplements public revenue through its citizenship by investment (CBI) program.In 2016 parliament passed its most recent suite of legislative changes to enhance the investment climate in Grenada. Changes were made to the following Acts:Value Added Tax Amendment Act &#8211; Provides for VAT exemptions for qualifying investments in priority sectors.Excise Tax Amendment Act &#8211; Provides for tax incentives for investors engaged in manufacturing and investors entitled to conditional duties exemptions for motor vehicles.Property Transfer Tax Amendment Act &#8211; Establishes more favourable rates of property transfer tax for investors.Customs Service Charge Amendment Act &#8211; Removes the discretionary power of cabinet to prescribe varying rates of customs service charge (CSC) and to prescribe a new rate of CSC applicable to investors engaged in manufacturing.Investment Amendment Act- Provides for specified circumstances under which the Minister of Finance may make regulations under the Principal Act.Bankruptcy and Insolvency Amendment Act &#8211; Modernizes the law relating to bankruptcy and insolvency of individuals and companies. The act is based on the Canadian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, which has been used as a model in several Caribbean countries.Income Tax Amendment Act- Provides for a waiver on withholding tax applicable on specified types of repatriated funds relating to investors engaged in tourism accommodation or health and wellness.The GIDC and the Inland Revenue and Customs Department of Grenada work to ensure adherence to the rule of law and to facilitate the procedures outlined in the revised investment regime. The legal and regulatory framework governing foreign direct investment in Grenada is described here:  http://grenadaidc.com/ .																																				Competition and Antitrust Laws										There are no competition laws in Grenada. Several CARICOM and Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) proposals on competition are under consideration to strengthen market regimes under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. CARICOM established a Competition Commission and plans are underway to establish a sub-regional Eastern Caribbean Competition Commission.																																				Expropriation and Compensation										According to the constitution, Grenada shall not compulsorily acquire or take possession of any investment or any asset of an investor except for a purpose which is legal and non-discriminatory. If the government expropriates property for a legal purpose, it must promptly pay adequate and effective compensation. Owners of expropriated assets have the right to file claims in the High Court regarding the amount of compensation or ownership of the expropriated asset.In 2016, parliament repealed the 1994 Electricity Supply Act and opened the market to potential investors who will commit to transition to alternative sources of power generation, decreasing costs, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, and improving energy efficiency. This repealed the exclusive license that was granted to the country’s sole electricity provider Grenada Electricity Services (GRENLEC) and its majority U.S. shareholder. This regulatory change triggered a clause in the Share Purchase Agreement requiring Grenada to repurchase the GRENLEC shares. The company filed a request for arbitration with ICSID, and the Grenada government was ordered to pay $74 million to the U.S. investors following a March 2020 ruling. A negotiated sum of $63 million was paid to the U.S. shareholders in December 2020.In the past, Grenadian citizens had their lands expropriated to permit foreign investments but were compensated for such actions, typically at the market value. There are no sectors at greater risk of expropriation, and there are no laws requiring local ownership. All expropriations have been subject to due process.																																				Dispute Settlement																										ICSID Convention and New York Convention						Grenada is a signatory and contracting member of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes and has engaged this platform to resolve past disputes. While Grenadian laws have adapted the provisions outlined in the New York Convention, the country is not a contracting state and has not ratified the convention.						Investor-State Dispute Settlement						There was an investment dispute between the government of Grenada and a U.S. majority shareholder in Grenada Electricity Services Ltd. In 2016, parliament repealed the 1994 Electricity Supply Act and opened the market to potential investors, which put an end to the company’s 80-year exclusive license. This triggered a clause in the share purchase agreement requiring Grenada to repurchase the shares. The case was brought to arbitration before ICSID. On March 19, 2020, ICSID ruled in favor of the U.S. shareholder. Grenada was ordered to pay $74 million for the shares, and a negotiated $63 million was paid in December 2020.The local courts generally recognize and enforce foreign arbitral awards issued against the government, and there is no history of extrajudicial action against foreign investors.						International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts						In the event of an investment dispute between two foreign parties, between a foreign investor(s) and Grenadian parties, between Grenadian partners, or between investors and the government of Grenada, Grenadian law mandates that the parties shall first seek to settle their differences through consultation or mediation. If the parties fail to resolve the matter, they may then submit their dispute to arbitration, file a lawsuit in Grenadian courts, invoke the jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice, or adopt such other procedures as provided for in the Articles of Association of the investment enterprise.There is no government interference in the court system. Grenada participates in a court-connected mediation mechanism that can be accessed through the Mediation Centre. This Centre extends court-connected mediation to all member states of the OECS and allows for civil actions filed in court to be referred to mediation. Through this system, parties can utilize alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation, if the court deems them to be appropriate mechanisms for resolving the case.However, court-connected mediation cannot be used in family proceedings, insolvency, non-contentious probate proceedings, proceedings when the High Court is acting as a prize court, and any other proceeding in the Supreme Court.																										Bankruptcy Regulations										The Bankruptcy Act makes provisions for all aspects of bankruptcy and sets out procedures for creditors to apply to the High Court for a bankruptcy order against a debtor and the appointment of a trustee in bankruptcy. There are provisions for the court to appoint an interim receiver pending the outcome of the application for a bankruptcy order. It also includes provisions for a process whereby an insolvent person, with leave of the court, may make an assignment of the insolvent person’s property for the general benefit of creditors of the insolvent person.The High Court exercises exclusive jurisdiction in matters related to bankruptcy.																																												4. Industrial Policies						    																																																Investment Incentives										Grenada provides a legal package of benefits and concessions for specific investment activities. Incentives include tax waivers, import duty exemptions, repatriation of profits, and withholding tax exemptions.Trade-related incentives are notified under Article 25 and Article 27 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. Concessions are available under the Income Tax Act, the Common External Tariff (SRO 42/09), the Property Transfer Act, the Petrol Tax Act, and the Customer Service Charge Act.Fiscal incentives include:100 percent investment allowances up to 15 years50-100 percent property transfer tax waivers50-100 percent withholding tax waiversTax credits of 150 percent for training, research, and developmentWaiver of VAT on importation of capital goodsTax exemptions and waiver of duties on building materialsNon-fiscal incentives include:Equal treatment of all investors regardless of nationality or residenceConversion into freely convertible currencyNo discrimination among foreign investorsRepatriation of profitsOther incentives include accelerated depreciation (10 percent on physical plant and machinery; 2 percent on industrial buildings); investment allowance (100 percent write-off on total investment); carry forward of losses for three years; reductions in the property transfer tax; and 100 percent relief from customs duties on physical plant, equipment, and raw materials. Certain incentives may be linked to the site of investment, the number of persons employed, or other factors, including for green energy investments. These investment incentives also apply to businesses owned by underrepresented investors such as women.Energy is a priority sector for investment in Grenada. This also includes any business activity that involves the production of energy, including fuel extraction, renewables, refining and distribution. The government offers the following investment incentives for the energy sector:Capital Investment Allowance100 percent of the qualifying capital expenditure (EC$3 million and over) will be written off against taxable income for a period not exceeding 15 years.Customs Duties Exemptions on the following:Building materials, fixtures and furnishings, networking elements and computer hardware and software.Production machinery, equipment and spare parts for approved machinery and equipment for use in operations.50-100percent relief from import duties and taxes on a maximum of four to six commercial vehicles.Value Added Tax (VAT) Suspension/ExemptionApplied to capital goods imported for the establishment of the operation.Property Transfer Tax Waivers50 -100 percent (based on qualifying investment) property transfer tax waivers on the acquisition of property.Carry forward of losses100 percent of losses incurred in any one year be carried forward for six years and offset against 100 percent of taxable income.Tax credit for Training: Training allowance (deductible) at the rate of 150 percent on the qualifying cost of training not exceeding EC$5000 per employee trained of taxable income and to include the following:The cost of hiring an instructor to conduct the training.Tuition paid to an educational or other institution offering training.A stipend paid to the individual being trained to cover subsistence during the training period, but not more than two months for a particular individual.There was no instance where Grenada needed to review an approved investor for non-compliance with incentive requirements. Grenada does not have a practice of issuing guarantees or jointly financing foreign direct investment projects.																																				Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation										There are no foreign trade zones or free ports in Grenada.																																				Performance and Data Localization Requirements										CARICOM investors are accorded Rights of Establishment, while other foreign investors are required to obtain work permits and alien landholding licenses to invest in property.The application fee for a work permit is USD $37/XCD $100 payable to the Work Permit Division of the Ministry of Labor. Along with the completed application form, applicants must also submit four passport-sized photos, a police certificate of character from their country, certificates of qualification, and a letter of intention. In addition, investors will need a character reference from a reputable person/former employer, a copy of the passport page indicating the last date of arrival in Grenada, a business registration certificate, company stamp, National Insurance Scheme compliance certificate, and recent tax compliance and VAT receipts.The approval process takes two to three weeks, longer if there are questions, and is valid for one year. U.S. investors and workers are required to pay USD $1,111 or XCD $3,000 per year for renewal. The local government does not mandate local employment but encourages it.There is no policy of &#8220;forced localization&#8221; of data storage and Grenada does not pressure international information and communications technology providers to provide source code or encryption keys. The OECS and other stakeholders have begun to develop draft model laws on electronic regimes. Laws specific to data storage and protection have not yet made it onto the national legislative agenda.There are no measures to prevent or impede companies from transmitting customer or business-related data outside the country. There are no performance requirements. Investment incentives are applied uniformly to domestic and foreign investors on a case-by-case basis.There is no requirement for foreign IT providers to turn over source code and/or provide access to encryption. There are no measures or draft measures that restrict companies from freely transmitting customer or other business-related data outside the economy/country’s territory.																																												5. Protection of Property Rights						    																																																Real Property										The Aliens Landholding Regulation Act No. 29 of 1968 (last amended in 2009) is the primary legislative instrument governing the right to private ownership by non-citizens. Investors may purchase or lease privately owned land and dispose of, or transfer, interests in the land under the Act. Investors may hold state lands by grant or lease from the state.Property rights and interests are enforced under the Aliens Landholding Regulation Act. The only specific regulation regarding land lease or acquisition by a foreign or non-resident investor is the requirement to acquire an Alien Landholding License. The application process is described on the following website:  http://grenadaidc.com/investor-centre/investors-guide/starting-up-a-business/#.WLBEUvnQe70 Before a deed is issued, there is a title search on the previous owner, followed by conveyance, and the registering of the property to a new owner. A clear title must first be identified before the process moves forward. Once the landholder possesses a deed, the property remains legally theirs, occupied or not, until the deed is signed over to someone else.																																				Intellectual Property Rights										The Patents Act (Cap. 227 of the Consolidated Laws of Grenada), the Trademarks Act (Cap. 284 of the Consolidated Laws of Grenada), and the Copyright Act Cap. 32 of 1988 (Cap. 67 of the Consolidated Laws of Grenada) guarantees the intellectual property rights of investors and investment enterprises e.g., patents, trademarks, brand names, and copyrighted materials in printed, recorded, or electronic formats. Grenada is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Paris Convention, the Berne Convention, and the Patent Cooperation Treaty. In April 2021 the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, of which Grenada is a member, signed a MOU with the WIPO. This will help strengthen the regional legal and regulatory architecture necessary to support the protection and monetization of intangible assets and other forms of intellectual property in the region.Domestic legislation regarding intellectual property protection has not been fully amended to bring it in line with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement. However, updates to existing legislation are currently being drafted and reviewed.TrademarksTrademarks are regulated by the Trademarks Act of 2012.PatentsThe Registration of United Kingdom Patents Act Cap 283 of the Continuous Revised Laws of Grenada is still in force, although outdated. In accordance with the act, any person being the grantee of a patent in the United Kingdom or any person deriving right from such grantee may apply within three years from the date of issue of the patent in in the UK to have it registered in Grenada.The Patent Act Cap 227 of the Continuous Revised Laws of Grenada is not TRIPS compliant. Implementation of the Patent Act No. 16 of 2011 has been slow due to the lack of implementing regulations, but the government has indicated that this a priority.CopyrightThe Copyright Act No. 21 of 2011 is in force.  In accordance with the Berne Convention, there is no existing formal system of registration of copyrighted works. There are current discussions with WIPO, in conjunction with the intellectual property offices in the region, to consider a voluntary system of registration for copyrighted works.Geographical Indications BillThe geographical indications bill was passed but the legislation has not been enacted or enforced yet. The 2012 Trademarks Act provides for registration of collective marks in the absence of a geographic indication act.Industrial Designs Bill The Industrial Design Bill is a work in progress. According to the Office of Corporate Affairs, its enactment is a priority.Administration of intellectual property laws in Grenada is the responsibility of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. The Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) is currently responsible for the registration of trademarks, re-registration of UK patents, and all other IP matters.Grenada is not listed in USTR’s Special 301 report or in the 2020 notorious market report.For additional information about national laws and points of contact at local IP offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at  http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/ 																																												6. Financial Sector						    																																																Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment										Grenada possesses a robust legislative and policy framework that facilitates the free flow of financial resources. Its currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, has a fixed exchange rate established by the regional Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). Foreign employees of investment enterprises and their families may repatriate their earnings after paying personal income tax and all other taxes due. The government of Grenada encourages foreign investors to seek investment capital from financial institutions chartered outside Grenada due to the short domestic supply of capital. Foreign investors are more likely to tap local financial markets for working capital. The government, local banks, and the ECCB respect IMF Article VIII by refraining from restrictions on payments and transfers for current international transactions.The private sector has access to the limited number of credit instruments. Grenadian stocks are traded on the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange, whose limited liquidity may pose difficulties in conducting transactions.																																				Money and Banking System										The financial industry in Grenada is regulated by two entities: The ECCB and the Grenada Authority for Regulation of the Financial Industry (GARFIN). The ECCB regulates the banking system. GARFIN oversees non-banking financial institutions through a regulatory system that encourages and facilitates portfolio investment. The estimated total assets of the largest banks are USD $1.03 billion. Information on the percentage of non-performing assets is not available. Grenada has not experienced cross-shareholding or hostile takeovers. As of November 30, 2020, commercial banks in Grenada deferred debt service on 4,069 commercial bank loans due to job losses and a reduction in salaries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the second highest number of deferrals in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).Foreign banks or branches can establish operations in Grenada subject to prudential measures and regulations governed by the ECCB. For the requirements and procedures, foreign banks can refer to the following website:  https://www.eccb-centralbank.org/p/grenada-1 There is correspondent banking available with all licensed commercial banks. No correspondent banking relationships have been lost in the past three years. There are no restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to establish a bank account.In addition to the banking sector, there are alternative financial services provided through credit unions. GARFIN regulates credit unions.																																				Foreign Exchange and Remittances																										Foreign Exchange						Grenada&#8217;s currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar issued by the ECCB located in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The exchange rate is also determined by the ECCB. The Eastern Caribbean dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar at 2.7, adding to the stability of trade and investment in Grenada. The national currency rate does not fluctuate.There are no restrictions or limitations placed on foreign investors to convert, transfer, or repatriate funds associated with investments. Funds associated with any form of investment can be freely converted. Banks reserve the right to delay transactions if deemed suspicious or outside the typical level of activity on the account.						Remittance Policies						There are no difficulties or delays regarding remittances and no proposed policy changes that would either tighten or relax access to foreign exchange for investment remittances.Transfers of currency are protected by Article VII of the International Monetary Fund Articles of Agreement. Grenada is also a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.																										Sovereign Wealth Funds										Grenada does not have a sovereign wealth fund.																																												7. State-Owned Enterprises						    																						Grenadian state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are legislatively established by acts of Parliament. These enterprises all have boards of directors appointed by the government and answerable to the relevant ministries. Twenty-five of the 28 authorized SOEs are operational. They secure credit on commercial terms from commercial banks. SOEs submit annual reports to the Government Audit Department and are subject to audits shared with their parent ministries. SOEs manage transportation infrastructure (ports and airports), housing, education, hospitals, cement production, investment promotion, and small business development, among other functions. Generally, where they compete with the private sector, they do so on an equal basis.Grenada, like its neighbors, acknowledges the OECD guidelines. Corporate governance of SOEs is established and regulated by founding statutes. Local courts show no favoritism toward SOEs in the adjudication of investment disputes.For additional information on SOEs in Grenada see:  http://www.oecd.org/countries/grenada/ 																										Privatization Program										Grenada does not have a privatization program.																																												8. Responsible Business Conduct						    																						Corporate social responsibility (CSR), interchangeably used with responsible business conduct, is a concept that was introduced to Grenada relatively recently by multinational and regional corporations. Local businesses are slowly incorporating this principle into their operations.Some social responsibility initiatives undertaken by the private sector and non-governmental organizations include education programs, fitness programs, sporting activities, and cultural endeavors. These are predominantly implemented by the telecommunication companies Digicel and LIME, along with financial institutions. There is also a recent push towards environmentally friendly business practices and development projects.While firms that promote CSR are more favorably viewed by the community, there is little familiarity with international CSR standards. Activities are deemed to be responsible business conduct if they are lawful, not a threat to national security, and not detrimental to the environment, health, and culture of the Grenadian people. Other than this being a requirement for any company operating in Grenada, CSR is not built into the laws governing the operations of a company.There has been no high profile, controversial instances of private sector impact on human rights or resolution of such cases in the recent past. Grenada generally enforces domestic laws in relation to human rights, labor rights, consumer protection, environmental protection, and other laws/regulations intended to protect individuals from adverse business impacts. Local labor unions play a role in promoting and monitoring responsible business conduct. Grenada uses private security companies but is not a signatory to The Montreux Document or the International Code of Conduct or Private Security Service Providers.There are no alleged/reported human or labor rights concerns relating to responsible business conduct, that foreign businesses should be aware of, and neither has there been claims in the last five years by indigenous or other communities that a government entity improperly allocated land or natural resources, or arrests of and/or violence against environmental defenders. The government of Grenada has not instituted or proposed requirements for businesses to conduct due diligence or reporting regarding human rights or other responsible business conduct issues.																										Additional Resources										Department of StateCountry Reports on Human Rights Practices ( https://www.state.gov/reports-bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/)Trafficking in Persons Report ( https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/)Guidance on Implementing the &#8220;UN Guiding Principles&#8221; for Transactions Linked to Foreign Government End-Users for Products or Services with Surveillance Capabilities ( https://www.state.gov/key-topics-bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/due-diligence-guidance/)U.S. National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises ( https://www.state.gov/u-s-national-contact-point-for-the-oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises/)Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory ( https://www.state.gov/xinjiang-supply-chain-business-advisory/)Department of the TreasuryOFAC Recent Actions ( https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions )Department of LaborFindings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Report ( https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings  )List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor ( https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods )Sweat &amp; Toil: Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking Around the World ( https://www.dol.gov/general/apps/ilab )Comply Chain ( https://www.dol.gov/ilab/complychain/ )																																				Climate Issues										Climate adaptation and resilience is a priority for the government of Grenada. Climate Change priority focus areas for adaptation are driven by Grenada’s Climate Change Policy, Grenada’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2017-2021 and Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy. The NAP is currently being updated. Priorities for climate mitigation are identified in the 2020 Grenada Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which is available at the Government of Grenada Climate Finance Portal:  https://climatefinance.gov.gd/ . Climate adaptation priorities for the government of Grenada include:Ecosystem Resilience, Ecosystem Based Adaptation (NAP page 43-48) is one focus area with emphasis on protected area management and ecosystem-based adaptation approaches.Integrated Coastal Zone Management (NAP page 49-52), with emphasis on the development of management plans to implement the recently passed Integrated Coastal Zone Act (2019).Monitoring, reporting and verification for reporting to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.Vulnerability and risk assessment of adaptation sectors/ program areas e.g., Tourism and Fisheries.Infrastructure resilience to slow onset events and Disaster Risk Reduction.Water resilience with emphasis on watershed resilience.Climate proofing human health.Implementation of Grenada&#8217;s NDCs.Synergizing reporting to address the three Rio conventions and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.Integrating Gender considerations into climate resilience action across program areas in the NAP and NDCs.Accessing climate finance and supporting community led resilience action.There are several challenges affecting climate resilience in Grenada. These include coastal erosion, flooding of low-lying areas, saltwater intrusion into fresh-water wells, limited capacity to access finance among non-governmental actors, and data capture and analysis challenges for policy decision making and reporting obligations. Environmental challenges to climate resilience include climate change impacts on the environment, alien invasive species, over exploitation of natural capital, and pollution.Grenada is aggressively pursuing its commitment through its revised NDCs to reduce its emissions by 40 percent of its pre-2010 level by the year 2030. With the electricity and transportation sectors accounting for over 70 percent of Grenada’s carbon footprint, government is striving to reach 100 percent of electricity generation through renewable energy, and 20 percent of vehicles being powered by renewable energy sources by the 2030 deadline. Grenada’s new climate change adaptation strategy will not only address policy issues, but also the development of more resilient physical infrastructure. The climate change adaptation strategy will also speak to the designation of marine protected areas, sustainable forest management, and ecosystem management plans to achieve the 2030 outcomes.																																												9. Corruption						    																						Grenada is a party to the Inter-American Convention against Corruption. The Integrity in Public Life Act (Act No.24 of 2013) requires that all public servants report their income and assets to the independent Integrity Commission for review. The Integrity in Public Life Commission monitors and verifies disclosures, although disclosures are not made public except in court. Failure to file a disclosure should be noted in the Official Gazette. If the office holder in question fails to file in response to this notification, the commission can seek a court order to enforce compliance.The Office of the Ombudsman received 31 complaints in 2021, compared to 29 in 2020 and 59 in 2019. Of the 31 complaints, 2 were closed, 9 are ongoing, 10 received advice/referrals, 1 was discontinued and 9 were beyond the jurisdiction of the ombudsman. Private entities and the Ministry of Labor both received the highest number of complaints totaling 18, (9 each), followed by the Ministry of Health, the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) and Richmond Hill Prison totaling 6, (2 each). Of the 18 complaints, advice/referrals were given to 5, and 7 were beyond the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman. Of the complaints against the Ministry of Health – these two are still ongoing, for the RGPF – one was closed and the other discontinued. Regarding Richmond Hill Prison, 1 received advice/referrals and 1 was beyond the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman.Bribery is illegal in Grenada. In most instances, the enforcement of anti-bribery laws and procedures is effective and non-discriminatory.Grenada is not party to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. The country accepted and acknowledged the UN Convention against Corruption but has not yet signed or ratified it.U.S. firms have not identified corruption as an obstacle to FDI in Grenada.																										Resources to Report Corruption										Contact at the government agency or agencies that are responsible for combating corruption:Head of FIUFinancial Intelligence Unit (FIU)The Carenage, St. George’s, Grenada(473) 435-2373 / 2374 gdafiu@fiu.gov.gd OmbudsmanOffice of the OmbudsmanTanteen, St. George’s, Grenada(473) 435-9315 ombudsmangd@spiceisle.com Contact at &#8220;watchdog&#8221; organization:ChairpersonOffice of the Integrity CommissionArchibald Avenue, St. George’s, Grenada(473) 439-9212/ 534-5190 office@grenadaintegritycommission.org 																																												10. Political and Security Environment						    																						Grenada has a stable parliamentary representative democracy free from political violence. There have been no examples over the past ten years of damage to projects and/or installations.																																		11. Labor Policies and Practices						    																						Grenada signed and ratified all the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) recommendations and enshrined these rights into its labor laws, including the Labor Relations Act No.1 of 1999 and the Employment Act No. 1 of 1999. Grenadian law protects the right of workers to be represented by a trade union of their choice.Employers are generally expected to recognize a union that represents most workers but are not obligated to recognize a minority union if most of the workforce does not belong to said union. In accordance with the Trade Union Recognition Act No 29 of 1979, investors shall grant union representation at any site of employment if most employees indicate the desire for union representation. Investment enterprises are also required to contribute to the social insurance and welfare programs for their workers in accordance with the National Insurance Act.The Ministry of Labor may refer disputes regarding workers in essential services to compulsory arbitration. Essential services include employees of utility companies, public health, and protection sectors, including sanitation, airport, seaport, and dock services.Grenada does not restrict the legal activities of trade unions. Most of the workforce is unionized, and labor relations are generally stable.Article 32 of the Employment Act prohibits employment of children under the age of 16 except for temporary holiday employment. Part 7 of the Employment Act provides for the protection and regulation of wages, and article 52 mandates the minimum wage. Minimum wage schedules are set by occupation.There have been strikes in the past year, but none posed an investment risk, and negotiations toward a satisfactory resolution continue. There are no gaps in compliance in law or practice with international labor standards that may pose a reputational risk to investors. No potential gaps were identified in law or in practice with international standards by the ILO.No new labor-related laws or regulations were enacted during the last year, and no bills are pending.The government does not legally define the informal sector and there is no data on the number or percentage of persons in this sector. Street vendors, agricultural workers, farmers, construction workers, and domestic workers are often considered small/micro businesses and were protected by wage, hour, and occupational safety and health laws.																																		12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs						    																						Grenada acceded to the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in 1968. The 2018 Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act created the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), consolidating the functions of OPIC and the former Development Credit Authority of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Through investment guarantees issued by the U.S. government and other programs, the DFC seeks to encourage private investments in projects that will contribute to the development of Grenada’s economic resources and productive capacities. Existing agreements require prior host government approval of U.S. government investment support for a proposed project.Grenada is eligible for assistance via the Clean Energy Finance Facility for the Caribbean and Central America, a financing mechanism supported by the DFC, USAID, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and the U.S. Department of State. For more on this program, see:  https://www.dfc.gov/ .																																		13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics						    																						Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/EconomyHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or International Source of Data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherEconomic DataYearAmountYearAmountHost Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($M USD)2020$1.042021$1.12www.worldbank.org/en/country Foreign Direct InvestmentHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or international Source of data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherU.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, stock positions)N/AN/A2021$41.0 millionBEA data available athttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions)N/AN/A20xx$11.0 millionBEA data available athttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/ Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDPN/AN/A202146.3%UNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report   Table 3: Sources and Destination of FDIDirect Investment from/in Counterpart Economy DataFrom Top Five Sources/To Top Five Destinations (US Dollars, Millions)Inward Direct InvestmentOutward Direct InvestmentTotal InwardAmount100%Total OutwardAmount100%N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A&#8220;0&#8221; reflects amounts rounded to +/- USD 500,000.																																		14. Contact for More Information						    																						Frances HerreraPrincipal OfficerU.S. Embassy GrenadaTel: (473) 444-1176 FrancessFJ@state.gov Rachér CroneyPolitical &amp; Economic SpecialistTel: (473) 444-1173Email:  croneyrr@state.gov Breanna L GreenDeputy Political and Economic Counselor,U.S. Embassy BarbadosTel: (246) 227-4000Email:  GreenB2@state.gov Contacts for Investment-Related Inquiries:Ronald TheodoreCEO, Grenada Investment Development CorporationTel: (473) 444-1035Email: Invest@grenadaidc.comrtheodore@grenadaidc.comWebsite:  www.grenadaidc.com Cathyann Alexander-PierreSenior Specialist, Investment Promotion AgencyGrenada Investment Development CorporationTel: (473) 444-1033-35, Ext.-236Email:  calexander@grenadaidc.com 																										    							View report by:																				Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											The Bahamas											Azerbaijan											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Chile											China											Colombia											Costa Rica											Côte d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cyprus											Czechia											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France and Monaco											The Gambia											Gabon											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Honduras											Haiti											Hong Kong											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iraq											Ireland											Israel											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kosovo											Kyrgyz Republic											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Macau											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Nepal											Netherlands											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Peru											Philippines											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Somalia											South Africa											South Korea											South Sudan											Spain											Sri Lanka											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Türkiye											United Arab Emirates											Uganda											Ukraine											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vietnam											West Bank and Gaza											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																							Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																						Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																						Business Facilitation																																																						Outward Investment																																																			2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																3. Legal Regime																																							Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																						International Regulatory Considerations																																																						Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																						Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																						Expropriation and Compensation																																																						Dispute Settlement																																																				ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																												Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																												International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																				Bankruptcy Regulations																																																			4. Industrial Policies																																							Investment Incentives																																																						Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																						Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																			5. Protection of Property Rights																																							Real Property																																																						Intellectual Property Rights																																																			6. Financial Sector																																							Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																						Money and Banking System																																																						Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																				Foreign Exchange																																												Remittance Policies																																																																																				Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																			7. State-Owned Enterprises																																							Privatization Program																																																			8. Responsible Business Conduct																																							Additional Resources																																																						Climate Issues																																																			9. Corruption																																							Resources to Report Corruption																																																			10. Political and Security Environment																11. Labor Policies and Practices																12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																14. Contact for More Information																						Tags																					Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Grenada
- Press briefing with Todd D. Robinson, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D.  Robinson, Assistant SecretaryBureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement AffairsMODERATOR:  Greetings to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Media Hub of the Americas in Miami, Florida.  I would like to welcome our participants who have dialed in from the United States and across the region.  This is an on-the-record press briefing with the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D. Robinson. Assistant Secretary Robinson will discuss outcomes from Friday’s virtual ministerial to launch a Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats as well as next steps for the global coalition.  This coalition seeks to unite countries worldwide in a concerted effort to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, identify emerging drug trends, and respond effectively to their public health impacts. As a reminder, today’s briefing is on the record.  And with that, I will turn it over to Assistant Secretary Robinson. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you for joining this call today and for the opportunity to discuss the collective efforts we have undertaken to confront the important issue of synthetic drugs. Last Friday, as you know, Secretary Blinken hosted a virtual ministerial to launch a Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.  Nearly 100 countries and international organizations participated in the launch, underscoring the shared concern about this public health and national security threat.  The coalition aims to unite countries worldwide in a concerted effort to combat the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.  Together, we hope to strengthen efforts to prevent the production and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, identify emerging synthetic drug trends and use patterns, and promote efforts to respond effectively to the public health impacts they impose. Participants at the ministerial underscored the importance of sharing data and increasing efforts to mitigate the health impact of synthetic drug use.  As you all already know, synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine pose a grave risk to the health and security of our citizens here in the United States.  The consequences of these drugs are devastating as evidenced by the alarming statistics. In 2022, the CDC estimated that nearly 110,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses.  Recognizing the gravity of this situation, the Biden administration is fully committed to preventing drug use and minimizing its negative impact.  We understand the importance of connecting individuals to treatment and supporting the more than 20 million Americans in recovery.  President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy has allocated a substantial $24 billion dollars in this fiscal year to strengthen drug-related public health interventions.  These measures not only safeguard the health of our citizens, but also exemplify our dedication at home as we look to other nations to also take action. It is vital to note that these dangers are not limited to the United States.  More countries than ever are facing an increasing threat from synthetic drugs like tramadol, Captagon, MDMA, and Ketamine.  Criminals are constantly innovating to create new synthetic drugs, adjusting formulas to avoid international controls and domestic regulations, and creating new demand.   One staggering number to note:  Over the past decade, more than 1,100 new synthetic drugs were detected and reported by the United Nations.  Through the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, we are harnessing international cooperation and shared knowledge to tackle this crisis head on.  By working together, we can more effectively disrupt the illicit synthetic drug supply chains, enhance our ability to identify and respond to emerging threats, and protect the lives and well-being of our own citizens and of people around the world. The United States has already been working with partners like Mexico, Canada, and other countries to drive urgent global action to disrupt the synthetic drug trade from beginning to end.  We are engaging with countries such as India to strengthen our partnerships on securing pharmaceutical and chemical supply chains to prevent criminal diversion of dual-use precursor chemicals, and we remain committed to engaging with the PRC to address the threat illicit synthetic drugs pose to our countries.  The Department of State also works within the UN, the Organization of American States, the G7, G20, and other organizations to improve the abilities of our countries to detect and disrupt the illicit manufacturing, diversion, and trafficking of precursor chemicals and finished drugs.   We have more important work to do, so in closing, let me express my gratitude to our international partners who have already joined us in this crucial endeavor.  The fight against synthetic drugs requires a global response, and we are confident that our collective efforts will yield significant results.  Together, we can create a safer and healthier future for our citizens and generations to come.   Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.   MODERATOR:  Thank you so much, Assistant Secretary.  We will now begin the question-and-answer portion of today’s briefing.  For those on the English line asking questions, please limit yourself to one question related to the topic of today’s briefing.  If you submitted your question in advance, I have incorporated the question into the queue.  Our first question today we received from Daniel – from Jim Carson of La Jornada in Mexico:  “What specific will be new out of this declaration?  Are you setting up a FinCEN-type structure to share information, do evaluations, and a secretariat, or is it simply a reiteration of past commitments without any specific additional actions?”   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Great question.  The first thing I would say is we are – we are building on what we have done in the past and what has been done by other countries in the past.  The coalition is intended to be an inclusive forum for sharing best practices and identifying areas for collaboration to improve the global response to public health and security threats posed by synthetic drugs.  We ask that countries commit to working collaboratively with other coalition member countries at both political and technical levels to develop a joint framework for addressing synthetic drugs and develop actions in line with that framework.  Thanks.   MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We received a question from journalist Fernando Morales from Red Salvadoreña de Medios in El Salvador: “El Salvador is a corridor for the transit of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.  How is work being done to prevent the trafficking of these narcotics?”   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  I’m sorry.  Could you say that again?  MODERATOR:  Absolutely, Assistant Secretary.  “El Salvador is a corridor for the transit of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.  How is work being done to prevent the trafficking of these narcotics?&#8221; ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Great question.  As our correspondent will note, the United States Government on several different levels is working with members of the civilian security forces in El Salvador and throughout the region – El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – on things like investigations, going after the trafficking networks.  We have experts on the ground from DEA and the Department of Justice.   We also work on training.  As the correspondent will note, there is an International Law Enforcement Academy hosted by the Government of El Salvador where we can do training for police and prosecutors in the region on different techniques and modernized techniques for going after these networks.  So those are ways that we are – those are ways that we are trying to get after these – shut down these corridors.   MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  The next question will go to Jesús Esquivel from Proceso Magazine in Mexico.  Jesús, please unmute yourself.   QUESTION:  Hello.  Can you hear me?   MODERATOR:  Yes.  Please ask your question.  &#8212;    QUESTION:  Okay.  Yes.  Under Secretary, there has always been the accusations that the Mexican cartels are responsible for all the synthetic drugs in the United States, but as you probably know, the domestic cartels in the U.S. are also responsible for the distributions and sale of these drugs.   My question to you is:  What exactly or when exactly the U.S. Government for the first time is going to be exposing the domestic cartels in this problem and in the United States?  And also, if you think the accusations as – members of the U.S. Congress made to Mexico and threats that they probably going to invade Mexico to stop the drug trafficking, it will help in this global coalition in the case of – specifically of Mexico to cooperate with the U.S. Government?   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you, Jesús.  Both good questions.  Look, first of all, I would – I would not exactly support the premise of your question.  We have never said that all of the fentanyl or synthetic opioids that are coming to the United States are coming from Mexico.  We know that this is a global – a global effort by cartels from different regions around the world, including criminals in the United States.  I don’t think the FBI or the Department of Justice or our local law enforcement authorities have been shy about exposing the criminal networks in the United States that are trafficking in these drugs.  I think they will continue to publicly expose them when available.  So that’s thing number one. Thing number two, we have – the United States has an excellent relationship with our counterparts in Mexico.  We are both working very close to go after the networks in Mexico, to increase our cooperation on both sides of our southwest border, your northern border.  And we are working together internationally to share our experiences with working together with other countries around the world.  I’m very proud of our relationship with our Mexican counterparts, and we’re going to continue to call on them as they call on us to work together to do more to stop – to stop this global trafficking of synthetic drugs. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary Robison.  The next question will go to Adyr Corral from El Sol de Mexico.  Adyr, please unmute yourself.  Go ahead.  Adyr, can you hear us?   Okay, unfortunately we’re going to have to move on.  I see we have a submitted question in our Q&amp;A from Brendan O’Boyle from Reuters in Mexico City: “Thank you, Ambassador.  Within the coalition, where is there concern about fentanyl’s short-term spread geographically?  In Mexico, some experts have sounded alarm about fentanyl spreading in drug supply domestically, though data is scarce.  Have coalition partners in Mexico recognized domestic spread?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  I’m sorry, can you repeat that question again? MODERATOR:  Sure, sir.  “Thank you, Ambassador.  Within the coalition, where is there concern about fentanyl’s short-term spread geographically?  In Mexico, some experts have sounded the alarm about fentanyl spreading in the drug supply domestically, though data is scarce.  Have coalition partners in Mexico recognized domestic spread?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  The short answer is I believe the Government of Mexico has recognized the short-term spread of synthetic opioids.  We are – and – but there’s a very good relationship between our Office of National Drug Control Policy and the secretary for Health in Mexico.  They are working very closely together on campaigns to raise awareness about synthetic opioids and what can be done to avoid falling into – into that addiction.  So we feel like we have a burgeoning story to tell, a better story to tell as we go forward on our cooperation on the messaging against the domestic – in Mexico, the domestic spread of the – and growth of the use of synthetic opioids. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  I’m told we’ve resolved the microphone issues with Adyr Corral, so we’ll go back to Adyr Corral from El Sol de Mexico.  Please unmute yourself. QUESTION:  Hi.  You can hear me? ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Yes. MODERATOR:  We can hear you. QUESTION:  Ah, thank you very much.  Sorry for the problems.  I would like to ask the assistant secretary for a comment on the initiative to designate the fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction in Congress.  How about that, Assistant Secretary? ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you, great question.  We have currently – the Department of Justice, DEA, FBI, Department of State – we feel like we have the authorities necessary to go after the networks that are trafficking in these drugs.  At the moment, we don’t see that classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction will give us any more authority than we already have to try to stop its trafficking.  So we feel pretty comfortable that we’re in a good place in terms of having the tools necessary to go after the drug and to go after the networks that are trafficking the drugs.  QUESTION:  Thank you very much.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  The next question was submitted in advance from Juan Silva from W Radio in Colombia:  “How do you assess the current situation in Colombia in terms of the fight against drugs?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, as the correspondent, as Juan will know, we have a very long, very strong, very deep relationship with Colombia and Colombia’s security forces that has developed over a number of years.  We feel like we are – we have developed into great partners.  Colombia has become a net exporter of security globally, and that is in large part due to the very strong relationship that has developed with the United States.   Today we continue in that effort.  There are areas where we are hoping to start working – new areas where we are starting to – we want to begin working with the Petro government, and we are in constant conversation with Petro and his team to figure out how we can best help them bring greater security and safety to communities in Colombia, and by doing so, help shut down the networks that are trafficking drugs north to the United States.  Thanks.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.   Our next question we received from Eduard Ribas from EFE:  “What responsibility does China have on the trafficking of fentanyl precursors?  How can this coalition be successful without Chinese participation?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, I would say the – we know good things happen when China is involved in conversations like this.  You will recall in 2019 the Chinese Government scheduled fentanyl and made it much harder to get out of the country directly and be shipped directly to other countries.  And when they did that, the trafficking of fentanyl itself in the United States from China went to almost zero.  So we think that there’s a lot more that can be done by the PRC in terms of greater monitoring and labeling and information-sharing on the precursor chemicals that are leaving the PRC, and they – we invited them to join the coalition.  We expect at some point that they will take us up on our invitation because they want to be responsible, a responsible country in this effort.  And we all know that they play – that there are companies in China that play an important role in the distribution of the precursor chemicals that go into making these drugs.  Over.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We have time for about two more questions.  One was submitted in advance from a journalist in Guyana regarding CARICOM, Denis Chabrol from Demarara Waves Online News:  “How badly are Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations affected by synthetic drugs?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you.  Again, this is a – that’s a great question.  I would say although we haven’t seen significant production in the Caribbean, it’s important to note that criminal chemists can easily synthesize fentanyl almost anywhere.  The Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats will provide a foundation for developing and implementing effective, practical solutions to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.  It will help detect emerging drug threats, and we hope it will help respond to the – to their public health impacts.  Over. MODERATOR:  Thank you.  I see in the chat the journalist had added:  “What do we expect from CARICOM and what assistance the U.S. can provide?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, actually, I would turn it around.  The question should be:  What more can CARICOM countries do?  And I think, again, when we talk about things like exchanging information, when we talk about things like making sure that they are getting access, making sure their communities are getting access to the antidotes for overdoses, making sure that they are reporting to the international organizations that are collecting information that everybody else can use – those are the things that that we would hope we could get from countries that are involved in the global coalition.  And the United States and the international community will continue to help with training and equipping those police forces and prosecutors that are working on this issue.  Over. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We had a question from Martin Villena from Andina News Agency in Peru:  “Concerning the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, does its launch also mean strengthening even more relations with countries such as Peru and Colombia, which face the issue and the related problems concerning cocaine productions in their territories?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, we’re always working to strengthening – strengthening the relationship with our good friends in Peru and Colombia.  But in fact, again, we will – what the establishment of this coalition is looking to do is to have our friends from Peru and Colombia share their experiences with other countries around the world and help other countries who don’t have the expertise that our countries do, help them address the issues in their countries.  We have great relationships with our partners in Peru and Colombia; I don’t expect that will change.  But we will – in the establishment of this coalition, we will be asking them to do more to help on a global level.  Over.   MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We received a question from Carrie Kahn with NPR:  “How do proposals from some Republicans in the United States urging military intervention to stop fentanyl trafficking in Mexico affect your plans to enlist global partners?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, I would say we’re going to let Congress – the Senate and the House – develop and debate their own ideas.  We are going to – I am focused on working with our civilian security partners globally, making sure that they have the training, the equipment, the strategies; making sure they have access to the expertise necessary to focus on what is our responsibility, which is providing civilian security to our communities, both in the United States and around and world. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  I believe we’ve gone through all the questions that we had today, so that will conclude today’s briefing.  I wanted to thank you for joining us today, as well as all of the journalists on the line for their questions.  If you have any follow-up questions about today’s briefing, you may contact the Miami Media Hub at MiamiHub@state.gov.  An English recording and transcript will be available for this briefing, as well as transcripts in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.  Thank you so much and have a good day. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thanks.  Thanks, everybody. 
- Training Together to Save Lives: The State Department and Department of Defense Prepare for U.S. Citizen Evacuations Ildiko HrubosThe U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than protecting the safety and security of U.S. citizens.  During an overseas crisis, the Department may provide information on conditions in the country and where to seek help.  In more severe situations, it may recommend U.S. citizens leave the immediate area, or the country.  In the most unstable crises, when conditions permit, the Department may assist in the evacuation of U.S. personnel and U.S. citizens from the crisis location, sometimes in close coordination with the Department of Defense. Over the past 35 years, the State Department conducted more than 300 evacuations of U.S. personnel and U.S. citizens from overseas crises, including most recently from Sudan.  The Department of Defense (DoD), in coordination with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, facilitated more than 20 of these operations, including in Lebanon, Grenada, Liberia, Somalia, Rwanda, Zaire, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Haiti, and Afghanistan.  Mock protestors amass outside the fictional  “U.S. Consulate Agategrad” training facility in Sneads Ferry, NC. &nbsp;To prepare for State Department’s evacuations with DoD support, the two agencies conduct joint exercises multiple times a year around the world.  In April, State Department representatives from Consular Affairs, Diplomatic Security, Political-Military Affairs, Global Public Affairs, and the Foreign Service Institute’s Crisis Management Training division teamed up with over 2,200 members of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to conduct a six-day training exercise in Sneads Ferry, North Carolina. The exercise centered around a fabricated scenario at a fictional outpost, the “U.S. Consulate Agategrad.”  In the scenario, Consulate Agategrad staff faced a variety of threats to the Consulate and to the U.S. citizen community in the country, including political instability, calls to violence by extremist groups, and protestors outside the Consulate gates.  At each step in the exercise, as the threats escalated, the State Department and DoD worked together to determine appropriate responses and next steps.  Representatives from “U.S. Consulate Agategrad” and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit discuss the possibility of conducting an amphibious evacuation of U.S. citizens. &nbsp;The scenario reached its apex when U.S. Consulate staff—based on a discussion of pre-established State Department criteria—determined the situation warranted the evacuation of not only U.S. personnel, but all interested U.S. citizens from the country.  On the final day of the exercise, Consulate Agategrad staff and the 26th MEU successfully evacuated more than 200 U.S. citizens, who were transported by air to offshore ships equipped to deliver them to safety.  State Department and DoD representatives discuss their talking points before conducting a joint media interview.   During the mock interview, Lt. Col Wiese and &#8220;Consul General&#8221; Berger call for a de-escalation of violence in the country and provide important security information to U.S. citizens. &nbsp;Throughout the scenario, State Department staff worked with their U.S. military counterparts to work through various aspects of a real-world evacuation, including messaging about the crisis via traditional and social media, the identification of suitable evacuation sites, and the appropriate response to potentially violent protestors.  The relationships built, and the knowledge shared, will undoubtedly extend beyond the training exercise. These kinds of exercises are absolutely critical to improving communication and strengthening the relationship between the Department of State and the U.S. Marine Corps.Jonathan Berger, a Foreign Service Officer currently serving as a Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) to the commander of Marine Forces Special Operations Command, played the role of the Consul General during the scenario.  “Truthfully—and thankfully—a large Military Assisted Departure/Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation is rare.  However, each time we engage in an exercise of this magnitude it is only going to serve our institutions and our people better — and in the end will help save lives.”  This training was facilitated by the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute in support of the Crisis Management Training division’s mandate to help prepare U.S. Government employees in the foreign affairs community to effectively respond before, during, and after crises of all types.  About the Author:  Ildiko Hrubos is a Foreign Service Officer currently serving in the Bureau of Global Public Affairs.  She participated in the training exercise with the 26th MEU.   
- Grenada HomeReportsOffice of International Religious Freedom2022 Report on International Religious Freedom&#8230;Grenada				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Grenada																																					Office of International Religious Freedom																																																																																							Download Report																																																																																	 In this section										/																							Executive Summary																																													Executive Summary																															Section I. Religious Demography																																																																																		Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom																																																									Legal Framework																																																																											Government Practices																																																																																	Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom																																																																																		Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement																																																																																																								Executive Summary				The constitution protects freedom of conscience, including freedom of thought and religion. The criminal code prohibits the publication and sale of blasphemous language; however, the code is not enforced.The government continued to review its religious affairs program to determine appropriate resource allocation, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Religious Affairs Unit moved from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health following the June 23 general elections. A government faith-based and community-based skills training program that began in 2021 continued throughout the year. Denominational and ecumenical Christian worship services and prayer continued to form part of official festivities on national holidays, religious holidays, and in other public functions. Government officials worked with religious groups regarding the safe reopening of all religious services and activities following the pandemic. The government held a national day of spiritual reflection and prayer on June 26.The Conference of Churches Grenada (CCG), an ecumenical Christian body with Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian members, continued to promote unity and mutual understanding among members of the Christian community. The CCG held meetings and continued to encourage discussions with other faith-based groups, including evangelical Protestants and the Muslim community.U.S. embassy officials discussed the government’s support for religious diversity and tolerance with Jonathan LaCrette, the Minister for Health, Wellness, and Religious Affairs, in August and September. Embassy representatives also used social media to promote religious freedom, including freedom of conscience, belief, and thought.																														Section I.													 Religious Demography												    																																															The U.S. government estimates the total population at 114,000 (midyear 2022). According to the latest government estimate (2011), 49.2 percent of the population identifies as Protestant (Pentecostal 17.2 percent; Seventh-day Adventist 13.2 percent; Anglican 8.5 percent; Baptist 3.2 percent; Church of God 2.4 percent; evangelical Protestant 1.9 percent; Methodist 1.6 percent; and other 1.2 percent). Approximately 36 percent identifies as Roman Catholic; 1.2 percent as Jehovah’s Witnesses; 1.2 percent as Rastafarian; 5.5 percent as other; 5.7 percent as having no religious affiliation; and 1.3 percent as unspecified. Smaller groups include Brethren, Baha’is, Hindus, Moravians, Muslims, Mennonites, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Salvation Army. There is a small Jewish community. All these groups have fewer than 1,000 members.																																					Section II.													 Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom												    																																																Legal Framework										The constitution protects freedom of conscience, including freedom of thought and religion. It guarantees the right to change one’s religion and to manifest and propagate it. The constitution prohibits forced participation in any religious ceremony or instruction.The criminal code prohibits the publication and sale of materials containing language deemed blasphemous; however, the government does not enforce the law.To qualify for customs and tax exemptions, a religious group must obtain recognition from the government as a nongovernmental organization (NGO). The group must also register with the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) and with the Inland Revenue Office in the Ministry of Finance, and it must provide a letter of request to the ministry. The Attorney General grants final approval, and the ministry grants applications for tax exemptions; these are routinely approved. To be recognized as an NGO, the group must submit details to CAIPO regarding the organization, including information about its directors, as well as a description of the group’s general activities and the location of these activities. According to 2011 government statistics, the most recent available, and information from CAIPO, there are approximately 20 religious groups registered in the country.By law, the government allows religious head coverings of certain types, including the hijab and the Rastafarian head wrap, in photographs for national identity documents, provided the face is clearly visible.The government, by law, subsidizes all public denominational schools staffed by the associated faith-based organization, including those of the Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist, and Mennonite communities. Students at such schools may attend religion classes and may use credits from those classes towards completion of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate. Students from religious groups other than the one associated with a school may also attend these schools and are not obligated to attend religion classes. There are no non-Christian denominational schools.As part of the visa process, foreign missionaries must apply to the Ministry of Labor for a work permit costing 500 East Caribbean dollars (ECD) ($185), along with an application fee of 100 ECD ($37); the permit must be renewed annually. To be approved, foreign missionaries must demonstrate prior experience, and a registered religious group must sponsor them.The country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.																																				Government Practices										Following June 23 general elections, the Office of Religious Affairs, also known as the Religious Affairs Unit, moved from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, creating the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Religious Affairs. Reshuffling of ministries and government offices is customary following elections. The government continued to review its religious affairs program to determine appropriate resource allocation through year’s end, especially in light of the office’s transfer and the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Minister LaCrette, the government’s stated objective for making the transfer was to ensure the holistic (physical, mental, and spiritual) wellbeing of the country and its people. LaCrette said his goal was to see a nation that was not only physically well, but also one in which individuals had the freedom to worship and practice their religion.The government’s faith-based skills training program, inaugurated in 2021, continued throughout the year. Community churches organized the program with financial assistance from the government, and it was available to anyone, regardless of religion, interested in acquiring lifelong occupational skills.Government officials consulted and collaborated with religious groups regarding the safe reopening of all religious services and activities following the COVID-19 pandemic.The government held a national day of spiritual reflection and prayer on June 26.As in previous years, the government’s official declarations, speeches, and activities attended by the Governor General, Prime Minister, and other officials often included religious references. Examples included Christian prayers, scripture readings, and exhortations from members of the religious community, such as the head of the Conference of Churches. Denominational and ecumenical Christian worship services were part of official festivities on national holidays such as Independence and Thanksgiving Day.Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, along with other cabinet ministers, gave remarks at the annual ecumenical church service organized by the National Celebrations Committee in collaboration with the CCG to commemorate the country’s Thanksgiving Day, marking the anniversary of the 1983 U.S. military intervention. The public service featured prayers, scripture readings, and sermons from various Christian denominations.																																					Section III.													 Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom												    																																															The CCG, an ecumenical Christian body that includes Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian members, continued to serve as a forum to promote mutual understanding, unity, and tolerance among religious organizations. The CCG continued to encourage discussions with different faith-based Christian and non-Christian organizations. During the year, the CCG hosted a monthly televised program, “The CCG Hour,” which encouraged inclusivity with guest speakers from various denominations. In a June broadcast, former CCG chairman Reverend Osbert James stated, “The ecumenical role of the CCG is to promote human rights and to work together with Christians and persons from different faith traditions, including the Muslim and Rastafarian community, for the common interest of the Grenadian people.” According to James, it also sought to help non-Christian religious organizations whose members may have had their rights infringed by providing advocacy or mediation services.																																					Section IV.													 U.S. Government Policy and Engagement												    																																															In August and September, embassy representatives engaged government officials, including Minister of Health, Wellness, and Religious Affairs LaCrette, regarding the direction of the ministry and key priorities for the government.Through social media, the embassy recognized different religious holidays, such as Whit Monday (also known as Pentecost Monday), Corpus Christi, Ramadan, the Chinese Lunar New Year, Holi, Yom Kippur, and National Religious Freedom Day. The Ambassador and other embassy officials joined members of the Jewish community in lighting candles during a ceremony on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The embassy also made frequent use of social media to promote an array of religious freedom issues, to include freedom of conscience, belief, and thought. One such posting stated, “Everyone should feel safe when attending a religious service, school, a community center event, or while walking down the street wearing the symbols of their faith. We can only fully realize the freedom we wish for ourselves by helping to ensure liberty for all. On Religious Freedom Day, let us rededicate ourselves to these fundamental principles.”																																				    							View report by:																				Afghanistan											Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											Azerbaijan											Bahamas, The											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bhutan											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Central African Republic											Chad											Chile											China (Includes Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, and Xinjiang)											Colombia											Comoros											Costa Rica											Cote d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cuba											Cyprus											Czech Republic											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France											Gabon											Gambia, The											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Guinea-Bissau											Haiti											Honduras											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iran											Iraq											Ireland											Israel, West Bank and Gaza											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kiribati											Kosovo											Kuwait											Kyrgyzstan											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Liechtenstein											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Monaco											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Nauru											Nepal											Netherlands											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Korea											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Peru											Philippines											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Russia											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											San Marino											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Solomon Islands											Somalia											South Africa											South Sudan											South Korea											Spain											Sri Lanka											Sudan											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Syria											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Tonga											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Turkey (Türkiye)											Turkmenistan											Tuvalu											Uganda											Ukraine											United Arab Emirates											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vanuatu											Venezuela											Vietnam											Vietnam											Yemen											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										Executive Summary																Section I. Religious Demography																																																	Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom																																							Legal Framework																																																						Government Practices																																																			Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom																																																	Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement																																																							Tags																					Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Grenada																								Office of International Religious Freedom																																Religious Freedom
- Grenada HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Grenada				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Grenada																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																								Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies																																																																																																																		f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																											c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																																												Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government																																																																																		Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																																																																																		Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				Grenada is a parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature. In the general election on June 23, the National Democratic Congress won nine of 15 seats, and on June 24, Dickon Mitchell was named prime minister. Observers considered the elections to have been conducted peacefully and according to established procedures.The Royal Grenada Police Force has responsibility for law enforcement and reports to the Ministry of National Security. The country does not have a military force but has a police special services unit that is similar to a military division. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. There were no reports that members of the security forces committed abuses.Significant human rights issues included laws criminalizing consensual sexual conduct between men, but the law was not enforced.The government had mechanisms in place to identify and punish officials who may commit human rights abuses or engage in corruption.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The law prohibits such practices, and there were no credible reports that government officials employed them.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Prison conditions were harsh due to gross overcrowding.Abusive Physical Conditions:  The government operated the country’s sole penitentiary, which was designed for approximately 200 persons.  As of October, it held 379 prisoners, including five women in a separate block.  In the men’s block, potable water was available in prison hallways but not in cells.  Potable water was available in the cells in the women’s block.Administration:  Authorities investigate all credible allegations of mistreatment.  There were no reports or allegations of mistreatment during the year.Independent Monitoring:  The Visiting Committee, appointed by the cabinet, serves as an independent monitoring committee.  Monthly visits were conducted with administrative officials and to address inmate concerns.  A Prison Rehabilitation Committee, composed of social workers and counselors, conducted independent monitoring of prison conditions.  Human rights groups also visited the prison and provided independent monitoring.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of any person to challenge in court the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention.  The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						The law permits police to detain individuals on suspicion of criminal activity without a warrant, but police must bring formal charges within 48 hours.  Authorities generally respected this limit.  Authorities granted detainees access to a lawyer of their choice and family members within 24 hours of arrest.  The law provides for a judicial determination of the legality of detention within 15 days of arrest.  Police must formally arraign or release a detained person within 60 days, and authorities generally followed these procedures.  There is a functioning bail system, although persons charged with capital offenses are not eligible.  A judge may set bail for detainees charged with treason only upon a recommendation from the governor general.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The law provides for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.																Trial Procedures						The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.Defendants have the right to a trial without undue delay, although case backlogs sometimes meant periods of several months to a year before a case went to trial.  The court appoints attorneys for indigent persons in cases of murder or other capital crimes.  In appeals of criminal cases, the court appoints a lawyer if the defendant is unable to afford counsel.  According to the Grenada Human Rights Organization, however, the government could not meet the demand for free legal aid.  With the exceptions of foreign-born drug-crime suspects or those charged with murder, the courts granted bail to most defendants awaiting trial.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.						Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies						There is an independent and impartial judiciary for civil matters, including human rights abuses.  Defendants may appeal any High Court decision, including human rights decisions, to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.																										f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The law prohibits such actions, and there were no reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The law provides for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right.  An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media.Libel/Slander Laws:  Libel, slander, and defamation are criminal offenses.  Government or public officials did not use these laws to restrict public discussion or retaliate against journalists or political opponents.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The law provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The law provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these related rights.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, and asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum: The law does not provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status; however, the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees through UNHCR.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																																															The law provides citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																																				Elections and Political Participation										Recent Elections: In the most recent general elections, held in June, the National Democratic Congress won nine of the 15 seats in the House of Representatives, defeating the New National Party. The Organization of American States and Caribbean Community observer missions deemed the elections were conducted peacefully and according to established procedures. There were no reports of abuses or irregularities.Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No law limits participation of women or members of historically marginalized groups in the political process, and they did participate.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government												    																																															The law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.  There were no reports of government corruption.																																					Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																																															Several domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases.  Government officials often were cooperative and responsive to their views.Government Human Rights Bodies:  The Office of the Ombudsman has the authority to investigate complaints from individuals who object to government actions they deem unfair, abusive, illegal, discriminatory, or negligent.  Nongovernmental organizations and other observers considered the Ombudsman’s Office to be independent and effective.																																					Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalizes rape of men or women, including spousal rape. It stipulates a sentence of flogging or up to 30 years’ imprisonment for any nonconsensual form of sex. Authorities generally enforced the law.The law prohibits domestic violence and provides for penalties at the discretion of the presiding judge based on the severity of the offense. The law allows for a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment, and the government enforced the law. The Central Statistical Office reported cases of domestic violence against both women and men. Police and judicial authorities usually acted promptly in cases of domestic violence. According to women’s rights monitors, violence against women and children remained a serious and pervasive problem.Sexual Harassment: The law prohibits sexual harassment, but there are no criminal penalties for it. The government noted it was a persistent problem. Some employers took steps to educate employees and reduce harassment, which resulted in the termination of employment in some cases. The Gender-based Violence Unit and Social Services within the Ministry of Social Development conducted awareness drives and worked with survivors of sexual harassment.Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.Contraception was widely available. There were no legal or social barriers to accessing contraception, but some religious beliefs created cultural barriers to contraception usage.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services for survivors of sexual violence, including emergency contraceptives, through Grenada Planned Parenthood. Emergency contraceptives were also available to victims at pharmacies and clinics throughout the county, including for family planning purposes.Discrimination: The law generally provides the same legal status and rights for women and men, including under family, religious, personal status, and nationality laws, as well as laws related to labor, property, inheritance, employment, access to credit, and owning or managing businesses or property. The law mandates equal pay for equal work. The law does not provide for civil or criminal penalties for sexual harassment in employment. There was no evidence of formal discrimination in such areas as marriage, divorce, child custody, education, the judicial process, and other institutions, including housing, although the law does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender for access to credit. The government enforced the law effectively.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The law provides for the prosecution of any individual who perpetrates any act of racial or ethnic violence against minorities or persons in general. The government enforced the law effectively.																																				Children										Birth Registration: Citizenship is derived from birth in the country or, if abroad, by birth to a Grenadian parent upon petition. Birth registration was provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.Child Abuse: The law stipulates penalties ranging from five to 15 years’ imprisonment for those convicted of child abuse and disallows the victim’s alleged “consent” as a defense in cases of incest. Government social service agencies reported cases of child abuse, including physical and sexual abuse, and had programs to combat child abuse. Authorities placed abused children in either a government-run home or private foster homes.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The legal minimum age for marriage is 21, although persons as young as 18 may be married with parental consent in writing.Sexual Exploitation of Children: The law prohibits the sale, grooming, or use of children for commercial sexual exploitation. The also law prohibits child sex trafficking and child pornography. The government enforced the law. The minimum age of consensual sex is 16.																																				Antisemitism										There is a small Jewish community. There were no reports of antisemitic acts.																																				Trafficking in Persons										There were no confirmed reports during the year that traffickers exploited domestic or foreign victims in Grenada or that traffickers exploited victims from Grenada abroad.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization: The law criminalizes consensual sexual conduct between men and provides penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The government did not enforce the law. The law makes no provision for sexual conduct between women.Violence against LGBTQI+ Persons: There were no reports that police or other government agents incited, perpetrated, condoned, or tolerated violence against LGBTQI+ individuals or those reporting such abuse. There was no reported nonstate actor violence targeting LGBTQI+ persons. State and nonstate actors who are complicit in violence and abuse are investigated by the Royal Grenada Police Force and criminally prosecuted.Discrimination: No laws specifically prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, education, health care, access to government services, and essential goods and services against a person based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQI+ persons have the same rights as other individuals and may report incidences of discrimination to the respective authorities.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition: There is no process by which a government allows individuals to change their gender identity marker on legal and identifying documents to bring them into alignment with their gender identity. The option of identifying as “nonbinary/intersex/gender nonconforming” is not available.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices Specifically Targeting LGBTQI+ Individuals: There was no practice of so-called conversion therapy to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly: There were no reports of restrictions on those speaking out regarding LGBTQI+ matters.																																				Persons with Disabilities										The law generally prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities, and there were no reports of discrimination against persons with disabilities. Although the law does not mandate access to public transportation, services, or buildings, building owners increasingly incorporated accessibility features during new construction and renovations. The government provided accommodations in public schools for children with disabilities; however, most parents chose to send children with disabilities to separate special education schools, believing those schools offered better conditions for learning.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provides for the right of workers to form and join independent labor unions, participate in collective bargaining, and, with some restrictions, conduct legal strikes. The law prohibits antiunion discrimination. Employees terminated for union activity may bring their cases to the court, and if the court supports the claims, the court may require reinstatement of the employees or compensation to them. The law requires employers to recognize a union in a particular business only if most of the workforce belongs to the union.While workers in essential services have the right to strike, the labor minister may refer disputes involving essential services to compulsory arbitration. The government’s list of essential services includes electricity, water, public-health sectors, sanitation, airports, air traffic, seaports, pilotage, dock services, fire departments, telephone and telegraph companies, prisons, police, hospital services, and nursing. Several of these services are not regarded as essential by the International Labor Organization.The government respected freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. Employers generally recognized and bargained with unions.The government generally enforced labor laws. Penalties were commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights and were regularly applied against violators. Administrative and judicial procedures related to labor were subject to lengthy delays and appeals.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										The law prohibits all forms of forced or compulsory labor and specifically prohibits the sale or trafficking of children for exploitive labor. The law criminalizes the use of force, threats, abuse of power, and other forms of coercion for trafficking. The law does not sufficiently prohibit the trafficking of children, despite establishing stricter penalties for traffickers of children, since it requires the use of coercion for trafficking to be considered an offense. The government effectively enforced the law.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										See the Department of Labor’s Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings .																																				d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation										The law prohibits discrimination with respect to employment or occupation based on race, color, national origin, religion, political opinion, gender, age, or disability. The law does not prohibit discrimination in employment or occupation based on language, HIV status or other communicable diseases, sexual orientation, or gender identity. While there is no penalty for these types of discrimination, authorities stated that the country adhered to International Labor Organization guidelines and standards. In general, the law and regulations were effectively enforced in collaboration with the Labor Commissioner’s Office within the Ministry of Labor and was sometimes applied against violators.																																				e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws: The law provides for a national minimum wage for various categories of employment, which was above the poverty income rate.The law provides for a 40-hour workweek with eight-hour days, except for clerical and shop assistants who have 44-hour workweeks, domestic workers who have a limit of 10-hour workdays, and security guards or shift workers who have a limit of 12 hours of work per day.Occupational Safety and Health: The government sets health and safety standards. Occupational safety and health (OSH) standards were appropriate for the main industries in the country. Experts identified unsafe conditions and responded to workers’ complaints, particularly during the pandemic. Workers may remove themselves from situations endangering health or safety without jeopardizing their employment if they reasonably believe the situation presents an imminent or serious danger to life or health. Alleged violations of OSH standards were common in the manufacturing and construction sectors.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement: Enforcement involving wages, hours, occupational safety, and other elements is the responsibility of the Ministry of Labor. Labor inspectors are responsible for the full range of labor rights inspections, including workplace safety and the right to organize. Ministry of Labor officers worked with employers in sectors such as energy, agriculture, and construction to promote appropriate clothing, health checks, and pesticide safety.The government effectively enforced minimum wage requirements, overtime, and OSH laws. Penalties for violations were commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud or negligence. Penalties were sometimes applied against violators.The government encouraged businesses to rectify OSH violations without resorting to punitive channels for compliance. The government provided no information on the amount the law sets for OSH fines or other penalties.Informal Sector: The informal sector accounted for approximately 75 percent of the labor force. The government defined the informal sector as self-employed persons who do not declare their assets or pay income taxes, such as street vendors, farmers, and domestic and construction workers. They were protected by OSH laws and occasionally received assistance through government social programs.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																												Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies																																																																																				f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																						c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																				Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government																																																	Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																																																	Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Grenada
- Grenada National Day Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Grenada on the celebration of the 49th anniversary of your independence.The United States values its partnership with Grenada, especially the work we are doing under the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 and to ensure a safe, secure, and prosperous Caribbean region under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.  In the year ahead, we look forward to continued collaboration with Grenada on education, entrepreneurship, climate resilience and energy reform initiatives that will help propel Grenada’s long-term growth and prosperity.  The United States also remains committed to deepening our strong collaboration with Grenada to counter transnational organized crime, combat illicit firearms trafficking, and promote regional security cooperation for the good of all the people of our shared region.The United States extends its best wishes to the people of Grenada for a happy Independence Day.
- INCLE-CBSI Activities – Summative Evaluation (Summary)