People's Revolutionary Government
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The People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) and connected PRA (...Army) was the name given the government that took charge in Grenada after the 1979 coup by the New Jewel Movement. The New Jewel Movement (NJM) took power in 1979 from the Gairy regime, which had ruled in an outwardly democratic, but functionally authoritarian, way since independence in 1974.
The NJM ruled from 1979 to 1983. In 1983 divisions in the PRG became apparent. It is commonly perceived that the Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard led a coup against Prime Minister Maurice Bishop but a study of the Central Committee Minutes show that confidence in the government had deteriorated during the reign of the PRG. Bishop was placed under house arrest for instigating a rumour that Bernard and Phyllis Coard were planning to have him murdered. While under house arrest Bishop was freed by protesters loyal to him and brought to Fort Rupert in St. Georges.
While at Fort Rupert the Army moved on their headquarters in order to remove the protesters from the site. While progressing to the Fort shots were fired which resulted in the deaths of civilians on the fort. In the aftermath of the attack Bishop and seven other perceived leaders were executed by PRA soldiers. The government that took power after these incidents was the Revolutionary Military Council, led by General Hudson Austin. They ruled for six days before the US led invasion of Grenada ousted them.
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