Barrister-at-law, Cajeton Hood who once served in the post of Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister under Dr. Keith Mitchell has called on the Grenadian leader to "repent" over his alleged wrong-doing in accepting money from German fraudster Eric Resteiner in Switzerland.

Dr. Mitchell is under pressure from the opposition National Democratic congress (NDC) to step down from office and to allow for a team of independent investigators to probe the circumstances under which he accepted the funds.

The Miami-based Offshore Alert carried a report concerning an alleged $500, 000.00 U.S payment made to the Grenadian leader by Resteiner in June 2000 in Zurich to obtain a diplomatic appointment.

In a national address just over two weeks ago, Prime Minister Mitchell admitted receiving money from Resteiner but said it was "approximately US$15, 000.00" to cover the expense of a trip to Europe and Kuwait.

Dr. Mitchell has since announced that he had instituted legal proceedings against Offshore Alert and its publisher, David Marchant.
But Hood is adamant that there is "everything wrong" with the Mitchell/Resteiner transaction which allegedly took place in a room in the private home of the German who has been criminally indicated in the United States.

The lawyer is suggesting to Prime Minister Mitchell that "you swallow your pride, repent publicly and cast yourself in contrition on the mercy of the nation and hope that you are not prosecuted for your actions".

According to Hood, the bravado now coming from Dr. Mitchell on the issue is "just (to) waste time and money and warned the Grenadian leader that it will in the end "make things far worse for you in the long run". Following is the full text of the Cajeton Hood letter to the Prime Minister:

June 07, 2004

Dr. the Hon. Keith C. Mitchell Prime
Minister's Office
Ministerial Complex
Botanical Gardens
Tanteen
St. George's

Dear Chief:

Before I delve into the meat of my letter I will say that I do not intend to write under a pseudonym or to disguise my identity in any way because I am entitled as a citizen of Grenada to make a fair comment on any matter of national interest without any fear of running foul of the law.

In fact, I believe that it is time that more of us in the community who have meaningful contributions to make must make those contributions for the benefit of our country as a whole and for the defence of our heritage.

I have made a significant contribution to our nation's development so far and I do not intend to stop nor will I yield to the threats of persons in high places. I taught at the secondary school level for several years and held posts in the Public Service for another 9 years, ending my public service career in February 2001 as Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister's Office, your ministry, being deemed to be required to retire from the Public Service due to the actions of your Cabinet.

Right now I am a practicing attorney-at-law and receiving a pension from the Government of Grenada. Anyway, this is another story to be explored at another time. Chief, I spent several years writing for you and offering advice to you, but I do not believe that you will heed my advice at this time so I write to you and publish it because the topic is stirring deeply within me as if it will explode!

The fact is whether you accept it or not, our country is being looked
upon as a haven for scam artists, crooks and money launderers and in all honesty your administration must accept the blame for this state of affairs.

You might say that you did not know that the persons were crooks when you appointed them or caused them to be appointed but this is no excuse to reasonable men since there is a certain level of knowledge that must be imputed to you in your high office.

You have the entire nation depending on you and you have the entire international community to lend you support in obtaining information on these people so YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE! Or could it be that you did not care to know because of what they were offering in return?

You see, whether it is through negligence, recklessness or intention the damage is the same to our country's reputation! Whether it is intentional, recklessness or negligence it affects your reputation, Chief!
Chief, I must conclude that you are either being badly advised or choosing the wrong course on your own, if I am to judge by your response to your accusers given in your television address on May 26 last.

You say that you will be vindicated but that does not seem to be a possibility at all! I understand vindicated to mean cleared of blame or suspicion. Remember that you occupy a public office and even if the courts may say that you have won the legal battle it simply means that a sufficiently high level of proof has not been established, you will still be subject to suspicion in the circumstances of the current events. Vindicated? Never! Let us look again at your address.

(1). You spent the majority of your address, and preface what
you had to say in your defence by praising the achievements of yourself
and your administration. Do you want the nation to conclude that since
you have done so much it is less likely that you would do what you have
been accused of?

Yes you built roads, built a stadium (I will address that issue at another time) but this confrontation is not about these things!

(2). You then make it seem that it is the opposition that has fabricated the story about the money in the briefcase. Did you not realise that the same Science and Technology that you have been preaching is the very thing that is now exposing the whole nation to communication
about what happens in the world?

The same internet can show to the school children what impression the whole world and our Caribbean colleagues have of our nation and our Prime Minister!

(3). Your attempt to create a link between the timing of the article and your allegation that the opposition said that you will not last six months in office. The publication is that of Offshore Alert and no Grenadian has any input into the timing or contents of their publications.

Are you then saying that the opposition persons, who you claim said so, are or were prophets? So you made more than six months in office so far, so what?

(4). Chief, you have threatened everyone with lawsuits and as a result persons are afraid to express their honest opinions. Is this what you want in the free, democratic society that you say that you are intent on creating?

Cable and Wireless has closed down the Spiceislander Talkshop because of your threats. It used to serve as a vent for the expression of
ideas, good as well as bad, but persons need avenues for expression.
I know my rights and I will not back down at this crucial time in our
nation's history. I have been silent for many years but I think that it is my
turn to stand up and be counted!

(5). All leaders of note must be tolerant and take the good with the bad! US President Reagan just died and it is noteworthy that all journalists and other persons who opposed him and his policies are saying that he was a great leader because in spite of how critical he knew they were of him he still treated them civilly and with respect.

Chief, in all honesty the exact opposite can be said of you because you have always been known to threaten and bully those who stand against you. If no one around you will tell you then I will say to you that in my opinion your leadership is totally void of any statesmanship, and you would recall me always advising you to take the approach of the statesman who would seek the overall good of the nation instead of that of his person or party.

(6). Remember that an opinion that is stifled is not an opinion that is changed or lost! It will get expression in a way that you may not like at all! You have encouraged the use of the computer but now it seems that you want to dictate to grown persons where to surf on the web and what opinion to honestly express or receive!

I am sure that your legal advisers will tell you that every member of society is entitled to express an honest opinion on matters, especially if those matters concern a topic of public interest.

If they have not told you so then here is some free legal advice, we
are all entitled to express our honestly held opinions and you or no one
else can stop that! When you and your party members were suggesting to the nation that the NDC candidates could not be trusted did anyone take you to court or threaten you and yours with criminal libel? Did you try to prevent your people from spreading those vicious rumours about how Bernard Coard was advising the NDC leadership? I will offer free legal representation to all these honest journalists that are being harassed and threatened and arrested for trying honestly to defend the moral fabric of our nation!

(7). What is the relevance of who arranged the so-called trade mission? The issue is about what you did on the trade mission! What is the relevance of Cabinet, which is chaired by YOU, approving the offer of someone to cover the expenses of a trip? That is not the issue!
I notice that you did not say that Cabinet approved the manner of receipt of the money. I notice that you did not say that Cabinet knew what sum of money was given to you because according to you, you
did not even know how much money you received and did not say how you received the money.

(8). Chief, you were not being criticized for visiting several countries! Chief, you were not being criticized for meeting with investors! Chief, you were not criticized for receiving assistance for Grenada! I believe that you understand clearly that you were being criticized for receiving money that could not be traced; from an individual that you knew or should have known was a shady character.

Chief, you cannot account for the money received because you apparently do not know how much you received from the source! The receipts will only say how much money was spent by you and not how much money you received!

You spoke about receipts, but are you saying that you gave Mr. Resteiner a receipt for the sum received from him and you have retained a copy of that receipt?

(9). Chief, you further tried to say to the nation that cash transactions such as that which you reported are not unusual! WHAT A LOAD OF NONSENSE! I have traveled many times on the business of the Government of Grenada and received cheques from these organisations which I had to sign for receiving.

Furthermore, the sums were not paid at someone's private home but in a public place and any person with proper authority could obtain the information on the details of the transfer of money from the organisation's records! Chief, how dare you compare your transaction to that with these reputable international organisations? This is absolutely absurd and intended to deceive, in my opinion!

I repeat, Chief, did you sign as receiving a sum of money that is approximately US$15,000.00? There is everything wrong and irregular
about the transaction that you confessed to on national television!

Chief, if you cannot see that this is patently wrong then you are not fit to
remain as our Prime Minister because you are leading our country into a morass of immorality and debased standards.

(10). Chief, how do you hope to be vindicated? Will Mr. Resteiner come to your aid to say that he gave you approximately US$15,000.00?
Will you say that you counted the money in front of your security personnel and they can testify that it was only approximately US$15,000.00?
Will you produce a receipt
from the treasury showing that you deposited into the public funds a sum of approximately US$15,000.00? Even if it was proven to be approximately US$15,000.00 or even US$15.00 it is still wrong!

(11). There is a difference between your transaction and that of Mr. Baptiste who is right now being prosecuted. Mr. Baptiste's transaction is much more transparent than yours, as follows:

(i). The mode of transfer was one that allowed anyone to determine how much money was given;

(ii). The money was transferred by means of an established financial institution that is subject to regulation;

(iii). We know for sure that there was an offer to pay a sum and for what.

(12). Chief, if Mr. Baptiste is being prosecuted for misfeasance in public office then you should also be prosecuted for the same crime. If he is guilty then you are even guiltier! Is it that the law must be used to prosecute persons who do not support you and leave you and yours free to do as they please? Chief, this is certainly not democracy!

Chief, I will obtain an official document from the source and file a complaint against you using the same provisions that your Special Prosecutor boasts that he was instrumental in having passed in Parliament and we will see if the Director of Public Prosecutions
will be allowed to bring criminal charges against you!

(13). To add insult to injury you try to tell the people of Grenada that there is nothing wrong with their Prime Minister going to the home of a private individual and receiving an undisclosed sum of money in cash!
What standards are you setting for our children in Grenada? What standards are you setting for members of the public service? Are you then saying that the nation should approve of any public officer doing the same thing?

(14). The plain truth, in my opinion, is that your actions are in direct
violation of the provisions of Section 75 of the Constitution of Grenada
which says that all monies raised as you claim shall be paid into the
Consolidated Fund. Where is the receipt attesting to the fact that the
sum of money was indeed paid into the Consolidated Fund? You are not authorised to spend a cent from the money if it was received on behalf of the Government and people of Grenada!

Every cent received should have gone into the Consolidated Fund and then you would be repaid when you present proof of your so-called Credit Card expenditure.

In conclusion, Chief, since there is everything wrong with your transaction my advice is that you swallow your pride, repent publicly and cast yourself in contrition on the mercy of the nation and hope that you are not prosecuted for your actions.

All of this bravado just waste time and money and will make things far worse for you in the long run. Chief, if none of your advisors have told you so as yet, your political credibility is already on the line! I note that you have stopped short of saying what you would do if the allegations are shown to be true.

The talk about putting 20 years of our life as an elected Parliamentary Representative on the line is just empty talk and nothing else! It means absolutely nothing! Chief, I used to be proud to be associated with you as a fellow villager from Happy Hill and used to be quite happy to sacrifice for you to establish you as Prime Minister.

You are quite familiar with the sacrifices that I have made on your behalf. Right now I am embarrassed by the character you are revealing that you possess. I am ashamed that I was not perceptive or discerning enough to have made the correct assessment of you before and I feel as if I owe it to the nation to atone to it for my personal support of you in the past.

I am eagerly looking forward to having a response from you on the matters that I have raised in this letter so that I can give you some further advice. If you reject my advice then feel free to pursue whatever course of action that you deem fit in the circumstances.

Sincerely Yours
Cajeton A.K. Hood
Your Former Permanent Secretary