Grenada's limited state of emergency kicked in yesterday, with T&T Defence Force troops at the forefront of efforts to curb continued looting and keep the peace on the hurricane-battered island.
By Gail AlexanderYesterday, troops fired tear gas at early-morning looters at the Gran Anse Shopping Centre at 7 am, and used some ?manhandling? to restrain some of them.
Groups of looters continued to move around populated areas stealing and ?casing? places to loot.
Grenadian Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has put the death toll from Hurricane Ivan at 19.
Unconfirmed reports put it at over 34.
Mitchell said damage was estimated at $2 billion EC.
Speaking to the Guardian yesterday, he also dismissed rumours that he had collapsed in the days since Ivan struck.
?I?m physically well, but it hurts me to see what has happened to my island,? he said.
?When Ivan hit was the first time in my life that I ever felt helpless.?
Mitchell addressed Grenadians for the first time yesterday and also toured the island.
About 110 T&T Defence Force troops have arrived on the island since the hurricane hit, leaving Grenadians homeless, jobless and with a wrecked tourism and spice production sector.
A total of 500 T&T troops will be here by next week under the command of Captain AD Williams.
Mitchell said he held a two-hour meeting with T&T Prime Minister Patrick Manning on Thursday.
He said the meeting focused on T&T?s efforts for aid in financing, defence, supplies and assistance to rebuild.
Mitchell said he also asked Manning to initiate co-ordination regionally to assist.
He said he was touched by Manning?s visit, despite the fact that it was at ?Manning?s risk.?
He also thanked T&T for its support.
Mitchell said he had also received calls from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and US Secretary of State Colin Powell.
He said the US was giving Grenada an aid package.
Mitchell said the limited state of emergency was needed to maintain law and order, particularly in the towns.
It involves a dusk-to-dawn curfew and there is a heavy military presence at damaged or destroyed State properties to protect against looting.
T&T has the largest contingent of troops among the islands? regional defence unit.
St Kitts, Antigua and Barbados have less than 20 troops each.
Grenada?s own defence force comprises 80 troops and its police force is 850.
Therefore, the current peace-keeping efforts are falling squarely in the hands of the T&T troops led by Williams.
Yesterday, the troops took the lead in bringing pockets of looting under control around the capital St George?s and Point Salines.
