China and Grenada on New Year's Eve

On Monday the Chinese Ambassador hosted a cultural exchange ahead of the traditional Chinese Spring Festival which starts with the Chinese New Year. An acrobatic and magic show was brought in free for all to enjoy at the Grenadian Trade Center in Grand Anse.

Some of you may be surprised that there is an Ambassador of China here, given that Grenada is not exactly a hot spot for Chinese tourists. However it is not at all surprising when you begin to understand the friendship the two countries share.

China has for the past ten years been developing a relationship with Grenada and a very generous one at that. They have re-built the Grenadian National Cricket Stadium- free. They are now building a National Soccer Stadium, right next door- free. They have also built 300 low income homes which they have handed over to the Grenadian government- free. And more homes are on the way.

This last gift is one that I find perplexing. China has not always had the best track record with respect to helping it's own poor with housing. It seems rather the opposite where many poor are evicted from their homes to make way for other developments. So it is somewhat surprising to see a country building homes for foreigners in another country where their own people are in need at home.

So while I loved the cultural exchange and plan to celebrate the year of the goat/sheep in a place where I get to see them every day (sometimes even in my yard!), I do wonder why China is such a generous friend to Grenada. I also wonder why China has an Ambassador in almost every Caribbean country where Canada has only one for the entire region. Now China has literally billions more people but I doubt many of them end up in this region.

I guess my curiosity will have to be satisfied at some later point in time, but I will be watching with interest what Grenada plans to give China in return.