Mr. Ripponasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the age, rank and qualifications of the United Kingdom's resident high commission representative in Grenada; what staff and facilities in Grenada are at his disposal; and on what occasions he has communicated with the governor-general since the death of Mr. Maurice Bishop.
Mr. RifkindThe British high commissioner's resident representative in Grenada is Mr. John Kelly. He has the rank of second secretary. The high commissioner and members of his staff also visit the island regularly from Barbados. Mr. Kelly is aged 42. He has served with Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service since 1959 in a number of posts and has carried out a wide variety of duties. He occupies a four-room office and has access to telex facilities both to the British high commission in Bridgetown and direct to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
He is assisted by one locally engaged member of staff. Mr. Kelly communicated with the governor-general on every day between Thursday 20 October and Monday 7 November, except for the period 26–28 October when he was confined to his house by the fighting and the governor-general was himself incommunicado. He called personally on the governor-general on each of these days except for 20 October and 23 October when he spoke to the governor-general on the telephone.