Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has accused prominent Attorney-at-Law Lloyd Noel of not speaking the truth on the George Mc Guire issue.

The Prime Minister issued a broadside against Noel while answering questions from reporters last week Tuesday on government's failure to retain the services of former Government Minister, George Mc Guire as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mc Guire is the current Dean of Professional Studies at St. George's University. He was not considered for the post which went to former Labour Minister Lawrence Joseph who is a past Chairman of the ruling New National Party (NNP) administration.

Joseph's appointment was met with strong resistance from the main Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) which had put forward the name of Cecelia Quashie as an alternative candidate for the post.

Noel told a recent television programme that Mc. Guire would have liked to continue in the Speaker's chair if there was a common agreement between government and the opposition as it relates to his re-appointment.
In his attack on the lawyer, Prime Minister Mitchell said it is sad to hear those statements being made, adding that Noel is always being used by the media as the expert on a number of issues in the country.

"Every time you turn on the TV, he (Lloyd Noel) is the expert, he tells so much falsehoods and nobody seems to challenge this (appointment of Speaker) because it seems (to me) the person one has to ask is George Mc. Guire", said the Grenadian leader.

Dr. Mitchell lashed out on the media for what he said was their decision to omit part of a press release by government giving the reason why Mc Guire was not re-appointed.
He said that following the resignation of House Speaker, Sir. Curtis Strachan last year, Mc. Guire agreed to succeed him on two conditions.

According to Dr. Mitchell, one was for the then Opposition Leader Michael Baptiste to support the nomination since he (Mc. Guire) did not want to come into a difficult situation and the other was that he will be relieved of his duties after the next general elections.

"If the Prime Minister has to proceed with a nomination on that basis it is very clear that he cannot wait for general elections to make the necessary arrangements for a new Speaker of the House", he said.

Dr. Mitchell pointed out that it is extremely strange that after he had indicated to the opposition National Democratic Congress the position on the issue of the appointment, it is rather strange that they will continue to ask for Mc. Guire to continue to serve as House Speaker.

"I don't know how anyone else can claim otherwise. It seems to me that the press can do one thing. And I am challenging the press to ask George Mc. Guire to confirm or deny what I've said and I know he is an honourable man and I know he will not tell lies. "So (I) am confident enough to ask you to ask him (Mc Guire)", Dr. Mitchell quipped.

When this newspaper spoke with Mc Guire, he confirmed what the Prime Minister had indicated but also said that he told Dr. Mitchell that he would also also see how things "will go" with the post.

Mc Guire also reportedly told new Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas that he would be prepared to serve again as House Speaker if it was the wish of both sides in parliament.