HILLSBOROUGH, CARRIACOU, NOVEMBER 22-The Grenada Informer newspaper quietly removed a front-page article from its online edition. It republished the online edition without the story, sparking outrage among media observers who view the move as politically motivated censorship.

The controversial article, headlined “Build Back, Take Back,” was written by veteran journalist Rawle Patterson and detailed the halted construction of a concrete home for Cherrian Clement of Windward, a mother of five young daughters whose house was destroyed by Hurricane Beryl.

The removal came after public protests and apparent pressure from Minister of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs Tevin Andrews, who publicly denounced the article as “misleading, inaccurate, and completely false.”

In a social media post, Andrews declared: “I have therefore given the newspaper until the end of today to remove the article, failing that they will face legal action.” Notably, the minister did not provide specific reasons or evidence to support his claims of inaccuracy.

This is reportedly not the first time Andrews has made such demands to Moving Target, the company that owns the Informer and MTV News, to remove a story he dislikes, following a similar request made to the media outlets a few months earlier.

Patterson’s article documented how construction materials, including cement brought to Ms. Clement’s property, were allegedly removed by a government truck while she was absent from home.

According to residents, the removal occurred after Andrews became aware that Clement had publicly stated the minister had not visited her following the hurricane.

Community members alleged the halt to construction represented “political victimisation,” citing Clement’s known support for the opposition New National Party.

The government subsequently offered to construct a three-bedroom wooden home instead of the promised two-bedroom concrete structure, a proposal Clement and her family rejected as inadequate.

Clement, a school cleaner and BBQ vendor, currently lives in a one-bedroom plywood structure with three of her daughters, aged 14, 8, and 4.

The Informer’s decision to remove the article without explanation has alarmed press freedom advocates.
Media observers increasingly view the move as evidence of political pressure on news outlets, raising concerns about journalistic independence.

The Media Association of Grenada (MWAG) has not yet commented on the incident.