The Torchlight was Grenada’s only independent newspaper.  The newspaper published twice a week on Wednesday and Sunday.

Although the publication initially supported the Grenada Revolution it was shut down by the NJM on October 13, 1979 accused of working with the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to destabilize the regime.

The government then passed Peoples’ Law 81, which excluded foreigners as shareholders of any company that was proprietor, printer or publisher of a newspaper.  The law also prohibited any Grenadian from holding more than 4% of the shares in any such company; this meant at least 25 people would be required to launch a newspaper.

During the four and a half years that the NJM ruled Grenada, any and all alternative media was outlawed.