Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

The ruling New National Party (NNP) administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has paid a whopping EC$150,433.93 to Attorney at-Law Raymond to terminate his contract as Attorney General of Grenada.

The startling disclosure was made by Legal Affairs Minister Elvin Nimrod last Thursday at a sitting of the Lower House held at the Grenada Trade Center at Grand Anse, St. George's. Nimrod was responding to a question posed to him by Parliamentary Representative for St. Andrew's South-east, Kenrick Fullerton on how much money was paid to Anthony as compensation for the termination of his contract.

Fullerton also wanted to know the circumstances surrounding the termination of the contract of the former Attorney General. Anthony was forced out of the job by government who wanted to install, controversial Jamaican Attorney at-Law Hugh Wildman into the post. The nomination of Wildman was, however rejected by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) amidst protest action by members of the Grenada Bar Association (GBA).

Following Wildman's rejection by the commission, government then move to have him appointed as Legal Counsel to Cabinet. Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas also questioned Leader of Government Business and Agriculture Minister Gregory Bowen about Wildman's appointment during the sitting.

Thomas wanted to know the terms and conditions of the contract given to Wildman in his post as Legal Counsel to Cabinet as well as the contents of his job description and responsibilities. Bowen indicated that Wildman was not given an additional contract with respect to his new post as Legal Advisor to Cabinet. Bowen was then asked which of the contracts he was referring to and he responded by saying the one given to him before.

Dissatisfied with the answer, the opposition requested more information about Wildman's job description resulting in the Leader of Government Business promising to make the contract available to the House at the next sitting. Parliamentary Representative for St. George's North-East Nazim Burke told a public rally of the main opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) held at the Grenville Car Park last Sunday that "there is a need to take down Wildman to get to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell."

He said the Congress party is calling for a criminal investigation of Wildman to determine whether or not he might have played any role in the prevention of a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe into the collapsed First International Bank of Grenada (FIBG).

According to Burke, Wildman appears to be a very important figure for the ruling NNP since he is the holder of five positions in the country. These include Special Prosecutor, Special Advisor to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit(FIU), Counsel to Cabinet as well as Director of the Grenada International Financial Services Unit (GIFSA). Wildman was reportedly paid US$5000.00 a month from funds given to government by the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan.

The two countries no longer enjoy diplomatic relations as St. George's broke off ties and resumed relations with Mainland China.