The much bally-hooed Electronic Crimes Bill, which passed through the lower house on Friday, is carded for debate in the Upper House of Grenada’s parliament next Wednesday July 10th. NOW Grenada publishes a government press release reports that

However, because of the outpouring of concern Government has given the assurance that it is committed to looking at the section to ensure that in no way free internet comment is either inhibited or by any slightest measure, threatened.

A statement from the Government Information Service said that Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has asked his legislative team to review all sections of the bill to ensure that it remains consistent with his commitment of not just protecting open debate and dialog, but to reflect the new commitment to broaden patterns of democracy that will be reflective in other upcoming legislation.

“We are confident that at the end of the process we will have legislation that will deal with issue of cyber crime, identify theft, child pornography and electronic stalking without infringing, or undermining public debate or any matters attendant to an open, free and democratic society,” said the statement.

(Emphasis mine – – – for comic relief)

The report goes on to mention that the other bills being debated are the Electronic Filing Bill, 2013; Electronic Transactions Bill, 2013; Electronic Transfer of Funds Crimes Bill, 2013 and Electronic Evidence Bill, 2013. Given the very well-known fact that literally NO ONE in the government or judiciary of Grenada – irrespective of party affiliation – knows anything about computers, the internet, electronic communications or social media, I am at a loss as to how they are going to establish such legislation. This is the equivalent of having a virgin manage a whorehouse or a Catholic priest teach marriage counselling – what the hell they know about the subject matter to be able to tell me (promiscuous and divorced) what to do? These are people who, rather than conduct government business from a secure government mailserver utilising our country domain, do so instead with their personal email addresses like [email protected] [<— Inside Grenadian joke]. You telling me about this Grenadian government?