ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Grenada Thursday celebrated 39 years of political independence from Britain with Prime Minister Tillman Thomas telling citizens of the “significant strides” made and having “accomplished much in every sphere of life as a nation”. In an address delivered during the traditional Independence Rally at the National Stadium, Thomas, who is facing a general election on February 19, said despite the global economic crisis, Grenada has been able to withstand the shocks because of the policies of his administration over the past four years. “Grenada as a small open country has very little headroom to maneuver and limited options. Only last week, these issues were clearly discussed across the region by the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. In his review of the year 2012, he reported that the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, experienced four consecutive years of negative growth.