Where are the bodies of Maurice Bishop and his Cabinet Ministers? Keep reading

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

As a Grenadian-born and raised boy, I must admit that this question stayed with me for a while. My editor asked me to listen to a particular podcast and help shed more light on this 40-year-old so-called mystery that most Grenadians are trying hard to forget.

October 19^th, 1983 was when the then Prime Minister and some of his cabinet ministers were murdered at Fort George on the Island of Grenada, so naturally this October is I am sure, a very painful anniversary for the families of those who were killed and most of all, those whose bodies up until now, have not been found.

Martine Powers, a journalist from The Washington Post and a podcaster as well, for the most part, did a decent job of shining some light in the dark corners of Grenada’s politics and the disappearance of one of the island’s favorite sons, Maurice Bishop.

In this article, I will try to briefly explain how Maurice Bishop “Bish” as most Grenadians called him, rose to become the island’s leader, and just as fast as he rose, was cut down by members of his team and company.

Until 1979, Sir Erick Mathew Gairy was the island’s Prime Minister. His party, the GULP aka Grenada United Labour Party was in control of things. The NJM aka New Jewel Movement was Maurice Bishop’s party, and the party was slowly gaining ground.

That same year Bishop and his crew staged a successful transfer of government, not by elections, but by guns. Just like it was said in Miss Powers’ podcast titled “The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop,” one must realize that if you assume office by guns, then there should not be any surprises if you are removed by the same means.

That said, Bishop, himself was well-liked by the people, but just like Uncle Gairy, he surrounded himself with ungodly forces, exhibit A – Bernard Coard.

Bernard Coard and his Jamaican wife Phillis Coard were not content with being ordinary ministers in Maurice’s government; they wanted to be the leaders and it is said that is where the problems began.

Again, as a Grenadian who lived through the whole ordeal, I believe Bishop had good intentions, but he who lies with dogs, wakes up with fleas.

Now let’s look at how this brilliant son of the soil met his end and why his remains remain a well-kept secret to this day.

After returning from a visit to America, Bishop was put under house arrest by members of his party who now called themselves The RMC aka the Revolutionary Military Council. This crew now took orders from none other than Bernard Coard and his team.

This was kept a secret from the public, but when the news broke, the citizens decided to free Bishop and took him up to Fort George, however, the RMC was furious that Maurice was now free and decided to pay him and his closest ministers a final visit.

I have friends who went up to Fort George that day and barely escaped alive and I also know people who cannot be accounted for since that day. My mommy was cooking my favorite food, and so I declined an invitation to go up to the fort on that very day, so I went home instead.

There are a few Grenadians, especially those from the RMC, Bernard Coard, and associates who know what happened and where Bishop’s body is, but I must ask myself an honest question, If I were those people, would I want to talk? Let’s look at the RMC’s chain of command.

In position “one” we had the Finance Minister, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Deputy Prime Minister all in the person of Mr. Bernard Coard, now acting as the Prime Minister. In position two was General Hudson Austin, and in position three were the soldiers.

For Bishop to be gunned down, this order must first be given by Bernard Coard to General Austin and down to the designated soldiers. Bernard Coard is now saying he gave no such orders, then who did?

Grenada governments have had decades to get to the bottom of this, remember, the members of the RMC spent decades in prison in Grenada. Those were enough years to force a confession out of this clan.

Now let’s look at America’s role in all this. Just as America had used Cuba as their playground in the days of Baptista, Bishop in his speeches had accused them of having the same plans for Grenada, and with Cuba and Russia in Bishop’s corner, it left a sour taste in Reagan’s mouth.

Just under a week after Bishop’s murder, the good old U.S. invaded the island. Does anyone think that America does not know where Bishop’s body is? There was a 24/7- curfew enforced immediately after Bishop was killed, why was this?

I remember it like it was yesterday. The military was given orders over the radio to shoot anyone violating the curfew on sight. This order came from General Hudson Austin of the RMC. Many times, during that curfew I had to leave my belongings by the roadside and run because the PRA (aka People’s Revolutionary Army) trucks were approaching.

Could it be so the citizens would not see what was happening? Who is to say that the U.S. was not in bed with Bernard Coard on this? We must never confuse a “mystery” with outright lies, there is a difference.