The link between drug use and HIV/AIDS among young people in ...

1. Introduction
1.1 Socio-demographic background
Grenada is a small and mountainous Caribbean island which lies about 12 O N latitude and 61 O W
longitude, towards the south of the chain of West Indies. Grenada is a member of the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) - an economic unit of 15 Caribbean members - and the Organization of
Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Grenada is also one of the four islands that form the Windward
Islands.
Grenada is divided into six parishes and one dependently called Carriacou. St. George’s is the capital
city and the official language is English, however its inhabitants speak both English and French
dialect. The people are of African and Afro-European ancestry, and a smaller percentage is of East
Indian descendants. Both the French and British colonized the country; after the abolition of slavery
many East Indians migrated to Grenada seeking work. Sixty percent (60%) of Grenadians are Roman
Catholic, and the Anglican Church is the largest protestant denomination.
Grenada gained its independence from Britain in 1974 under its first Prime Minister Eric M. Gairy.
Political unrest developed and in 1979 rebels overthrew the Eric Gairy democratic government
through a coup, and made Maurice Bishop Grenada’s first communist prime minister. In 1983, the
nation again experienced political instability when a Marxist military council of US control along with
a small Caribbean alliance seized the communistic system, consequently resulting in the murder of
Maurice Bishop. Once again, Grenada is deemed a politically stable and democratic nation under the
incumbent Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. Grenada has a constitutional monarchy with
Westminster-style parliamentary system; it has a governor general, a prime minister and a cabinet, and
a bicameral Parliament with an elected House of Representatives and an appointed Senate.
Security is maintained by a 650-member Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), including an 80-
member paramilitary special services unit (SSU) and a 30-member coast guard. The U.S. Army and
the U.S. Coast Guard provide periodic training and material support for the SSU and the coast guard.
Only 133 square miles, Grenada has a populace of 101,011 1 with 20,300 (20.1%) within the age group
15-24 years and about 50% under the age of 30 years. The birth rate is 23.05/1000 and a life
expectancy of 72 years. The island is well endowed with infrastructure, telecommunication services
and three airports. Education is compulsory and the literacy rate is estimated at 95%.
Grenada, known also as the Isle of Spice, ranks as one of the world’s leading nutmeg and spice
producers. Its economy relies chiefly on agriculture – mainly banana, nutmeg, cocoa and mace – and
tourism. Grenada also manufactures rum. In the last 10 years have resulted in the collapse of the
banana industry. Since then Grenada has come to rely more and more on tourism as its main source of
foreign exchange.
The new thrust towards tourism has not brought the new wealth often associated with this direction.
Grenada has an unemployment rate of about 14% with an inflationary rate of approximately 3%.
In regard to drug use in Grenada, it appears that there have been quite a lot of use and abuse of
marijuana, alcohol, the introduction of cocaine, a perception of sexual or risky behavior within the
society and the increase of sexually transmitted diseases. There has been a growing trend of school
dropouts, unemployment and other societal situations.
1 Mid Year Population Estimates 2001, Statistical Department, Ministry of Finance. Grenada
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