Analysis: Days numbered for Grenada Prime Minister?
by Leroy Noel
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
ST GEORGE‘S, Grenada: Opposition political
parties here are at this time discussing plans to end the reign of the ruling
New National Party (NNP) as allegations of corruption and dealings with shady
individuals continue to throw a dark shadow on the life of the government.
However to analyze the dilemma faced by the government one must first go back
since it is impossible for any society to move forward without taking the past
into consideration. Firstly it must be noted
that the Keith Mitchell administration violated the offshore laws of Grenada
when as Minister of Finance accepted $110,000 and a photocopy of a photograph
of a jewel from First International Bank. The
laws of Grenada provide for the provision of evidence of $1million in cash in
order to obtain a license to set up a bank. As a result of the ‘error or
design’ by the NNP government, American investors were defrauded of some
US$435 million, the largest bank failure in the history of the Caribbean.
This bank was headed by no lesser person than Van Brink who is now wanted in
the United States for money laundering charges.
It is important to note that a letter signed by the Prime Minister surfaced
and was published where the Prime Minister who is the leader of the NNP was
thanking David Rowe an official from First Bank for financial contributions
made to his party during the 1999 elections.
It must also be remembered that gifts were accepted from the likes of Victor
Kozeny known as the Pirate of Prague who is also indicted in the United
States. As if the aforementioned were not
sufficiently embarrassing, members of the NNP government flew all over Europe
in the personal jet of Victor Kozeny and in his company.
Now let’s look at the saga facing the Prime Minister as it relates to the
allegation that he received a briefcase containing US$500,000.
He admitted that he received between 12-14 thousand dollars from German Eric
Resteiner the then holder of a Grenadian diplomatic passport to pay for a
promotional tour to several countries in Europe.
However based on the funds the P.M has admitted receiving it is clear that it
is insufficient to pay the way for a delegation here to visit all the European
countries enlisted, a simple check with a travel agent would prove this. After
all maybe Resteiner was paying part of the tour?
But the P.M did not mention part payment so
we will have to take him at his word except that it was a two man delegation
and even so it is still insufficient when taking into account hotel
accommodation, meals, airline tickets internal transport etc.
Anyone who has his or her shoulder well on the shoulder can speak to a travel
agent and find out what is the average cost per ticket to go to all the
countries mentioned in the media release from the Prime Minister’s office then
will off come to a conclusion without being a mathematician.
From all the issues mentioned here it is
clear that every-one must look with a fox’s eye at any allegation of
corruption involving shady characters since there is a history of dealings
with such individuals as outlined in this article.
It is well established that over the last
ten years enough has happened to damage Grenada’s reputation in the
international community. All already some have blasted Grenada in several
publications as having links with shady characters such as Van Brink, Victor
Kozeny and several others in the offshore sector some of whom are in prison in
the United States. The fact that the Prime
Minister has NOT denied going to Resteiner’s home and collecting a briefcase
is shocking to all and sundry since it is not usual that the holder of the
office of Prime Minister goes to a man’s home and comes out with a briefcase
containing money. Whether the sum is 12-14 thousand or $500,000 is not so
relevant here as far as Grenadians are concerned the fact remains that it’s
not our style here in the Caribbean. As to
how long this administration will hold on to power depends on the people but
political pundits believe that within six weeks the Prime Minister will be
forced to advise the Governor General to dissolve parliament in preparations
for fresh elections.
Most Grenadians have already showed their
willingness to fight the NNP to the very end.
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