ECONOMIC CITIZENS PLACED ON $2 MILLION BAIL

A British national who purchased a Grenadian Passport under the Economic Citizenship Programme run by the New National Party (NNP) administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, is now out on $ 2 million bail in Barbados.

Sean Alexander Quinn, 35, who gave his profession as a Chief Executive Officer was arrested and charged last year in Barbados following a Credit Card scam worth millions of dollars.

According to the February 7, edition of the Nation Newspaper, Quinn was released on bail by the District "A" Magistrate Court last Thursday. The accused also goes by the name Alex Sean Mac Claren, of Clenrose, Margaret Road, Sandy Lane, and St. James.

According to the newspaper report, the accused was not allowed to plead to the three indictable charges. The police in Barbados are alleging that between September 9 and November 22, 2002, Quinn directly engaged in transactions of Barbados $5.9 million-namely payments made by use of Credit Cards that involved the proceeds of crime to wit, organised fraud.

The paper also reported that between August 1 and September 30 last year, the suspect conspired with other persons to engage directly or indirectly in transactions that involved money, resulting from Credit Card transactions, that was the proceeds of crime to wit organised fraud, and that he sometime during the same dates, dishonestly conspired with other persons to obtain monies with the intention of permanently depriving the owners thereof by deception, namely by inducing by words and conduct such persons as might be persuaded to pay the said monies to Capital Group Barbados Inc., falsely believing that they had agreed to purchase a "debt coach" product for US $437 by use of their Credit Cards.

The newspaper reported that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Charles Leacock, QC said in light of "certain information" he was not objecting to bail being granted to Quinn. "We have no reasons to believe he is a flight risk. The police are in possession of his passports-Grenadian and British-and we are asking that as a condition of bail they (the passports) be kept", the Nation quoted DPP Leacock as saying.

According to the newspaper, the DPP had asked the Magistrate for bail to be granted in a "substantive sum" like $5 million. The paper said that former government minister, Louis Tull QC, who appeared with Leslie Haynes, QC and Kerrie Simmons for the accused argued that the sum was too restrictive.

The newspaper said that Chief Magistrate Clyde Nicholas, as he granted bail to the accused ordered him to report to the Holetown Police Station every Monday by 9.00 a.m. until his next court appearance. Quinn is scheduled to appear again in court on March 6th.

Meanwhile, Immigration officials in Grenada are not commenting on the Quinn issue. One official told this newspaper that they have heard about the arrest of Quinn but preferred to remain silent. The official stated that no information was passed onto the Department to cancel Quinn's Grenadian Passport and that this can only happen if instructions are given directly from "the higher authorities".

The issue of non-nationals purchasing Grenadian passports through a programme initiated by the Mitchell government is proving to be disastrous to the island.

Canada has imposed a visa restriction on Grenadians and on January 21, immigration officials in Barbados deported seven Iraqi nationals trying to enter the country with Grenadian passports.