ST. GEORGE'S (CMC):

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has called on the three convicted men recently released from prison for the murder of left-wing Prime Minister Maurice Bishop to begin their rehabilitation back into society by showing "a genuine sense of remorse".

Lester Redhead, Christopher Stroude and Cecil Prime were released by a High Court late last month after the judge ruled that they had spent enough time in jail for their roles in the 1983 killing of Bishop and other members of his Cabinet.

But Justice Francis Belle ruled that former deputy minister, Bernard Coard, and 10 others would serve 40 years' hard labour on their murder convictions, clearing the way for them to be freed within three years.

Not enough

In a television address on Monday night, the Prime Minister said that while the three men had apologised for the incident in 1983, he said they did not go far enough.

"At this time there is need to earn the forgiveness of the Grenadian people by open demonstration and proof that they take their rehabilitation seriously," Mitchell said in the 15-minute broadcast.

"Earning the forgiveness of the Grenadian people must be gained with a genuine sense of remorse which today is long in coming. The first conduct in their rehabilitative journey must be the absence of arrogance and gloating in the face of the powerful example of compassion demonstrated by our people."

The Prime Minister hinted that the men could provide healing to the nation by disclosing the whereabouts of the bodies of Bishop and the others who were killed during the palace coup.

"We all will like to hear genuine remorse for what has happened and if we can be told why it happened that will be better.

"Additionally, and most importantly, those who know what happened to the bodies need to come forward now. This information is vitally important to heal some of the pain affected families and friends are still experiencing."

Earlier, the Grenada government said that like the vast majority of Grenadians, it was "disappointed" at the court ruling.

"However, like the majority of our law-abiding Grenadian citizens, we have to accept this decision and will have to abide by it as dictated by the law of our land," it said in a statement.