Over the last two years our revolution has brought tremendous advances for all Grenadians. Many achievements are evident in the fields of Agriculture, Agro–Industries and Fishers where plans, organisation and implementation have replaced the dreams and fantasies of the past.

Equally we have made great strides in the fields of Health, Education and Social Services. We have done much to develop our infrastructure and to create new jobs for the people of our nation.

We have made progress in the field of tourism, and here we look to you,  our nationals overseas, to assist us at home by not only soon visiting us yourself but also by encouraging others to visit as well.

I can tell you that we at home are working hard to ensure that you will soon be able to fly directly to our international airport at Point Salines, a hope that will soon become a reality with the completion of 1500 meters of runway with night landing facilities by the end of this year or early next year.

Here at home we have designated 1981 the year of Agriculture and Agro–Industries”, a declaration that reflects our feeling that these twin fields are the key to growing more food, laying the basis for industrialization, building our economy and in so doing building our revolution.

Agriculture and Agro–Industrialization will help us to provide more jobs for our people while saving much needed foreign exchange which is now being used on unnecessary imports.

In this way we as a nation shall become more self–reliant and self–sufficient, be better able to reduce the effects of imported inflation and in so doing cushion the devastating impact on our economy of the present crisis and recession in the advance industrialized nations of the world.

The agricultural basis of our nation makes this link natural, but it is the revolutionary nature of our country that will ensure that all of our people will be involved in this drive for greater agricultural and Agro–Industrial development.

Unfortunately, while our nation has made steady progress in the past two years, certain elements abroad and home have consistently tried to turn back our revolution by using the media to spread destabilizing propaganda aimed at discrediting our popular People’s Revolution and undermining our economy.

This covert attempt at economic sabotage has recently become far more overt with the appearance off our shores of large groups of trawlers, a clear form of economic piracy.

At the same time serial spy flights over our country have dramatically increased while on neighbouring country, together with present and former colonial and neocolonial masters, has been engaging in hostile offensive manoeuvers off our coasts.

Meanwhile, hostile and aggressive plans aimed at overthrowing our revolution continue to be drawn by reactionary groups abroad.

All of these developments are clear indications of the present dangerous period in which we are living. In view of these realities, it is imperative that all Grenadians, both at home and abroad, organise ourselves to defeat these reactionary plans.

We at home are doing and will continue to do our part to the fullest. For us, this means that we will continue to centre our activities around our people. Hence, we will continue to mobilise and organise our people, to deepen their consciousness, promote their unity and make sure that they are involved in a democratic way in the day to day process of building our new Grenada.

At the same time, despite our limited human and natural resources, we will continue to struggle to bring more and more benefits to our people through the provision of more basic needs, a development that will improve the quality of our people’s lives.

We will continue to be vigilant; we ill continue to develop our capacity to defend what we have fought for. We will continued to defend vigorously our right to develop our country in our own way, free from all forms of outside interference, threats and aggressions.

At the same time, we can always be relied upon to meet our internationalist responsibilities. We will always give our fullest support in a principled way to all just causes internationally.

We will always support the causes of peace, peaceful co–existence, disarmament, social programs, independence and national liberation for all the peoples of the world.

Of course, you know of the difficult world economic situation. As a small nation producing mainly agricultural products, we are ourselves feeling the effects of this crisis.

Nutmeg sales are a bit slow and cocoa prices are low. Therefore both the incomes of our people and government revenue are suffering at this time.

While we consolidate our revolution at home we look to our overseas nationals to help us abroad. In this regard, we ask you to counter destabilizing propaganda wherever you see it or hear it, to join friendship and solidarity committees where they exist and to develop them where there are none, to keep in constant touch with our missions in the countries you reside in, and to encourage more and more people to come to Grenada to see for themselves.

Naturally, we would also expect you to play your full part in helping to develop the economy further. For example, we would certainly hope that you would buy Government International Airport bonds and put aside some of your money for deposit in the National Commercial Bank at home. You will be pleased to know that the National Commercial Bank - our own people’s bank - has already grown to become the second largest bank in Grenada.

We have always said that we full recognise the contribution that our brothers and sisters overseas are making in building our process. We continue to appreciate this contribution.

We urge our people overseas and their friends and relatives to continue to prepare for the day when they can once more rejoin us in the continuing efforts to build our fatherland.

In closing I once again send you warm revolutionary greetings and urge you to join with Grenadians at home as we build, promote, and consolidate our glorious people’s revolution.

LONG LIVE THE GRENADA REVOLUTION

FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER

MAURICE BISHOP

PRIME MINISTER

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