Summary of Incidents on 18th November, 1973

Paragraph 34. - The Invitation to Maurice Bishop and the reaction by Inspector Innocent Belmar

34. It appeared that Mr. H.M. Bhola, a businessman in the town of Grenville, invited Mr. Maurice Bishop, one of the executives of the N.J.M. to speak at a meeting of the businessmen of Grenville as the DeLuxe Cinema at 3 p.m. on Sunday, the 18th of November. Mr. Belmar, the Inspector of Police in charge of the area, learnt of the meeting and decided to prevent it taking place as he had received information of a plan by the N.J.M. to attack the police station at Grenville as a preliminary step by the N.J.M. to overthrow the Government by force of arms. Mr. Belmar was resolved to suppress any such attempt at the very inception. He arranged for the mobilisation or call up of the police aides and several truckloads of men were brought into Grenville. The police and their aides were armed with rifles, iron pipes, batons, axe handles, sticks etc.