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HOME	FEBRUARY 19th, 2005

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Firebrand trade union leader, Senator Chester Humphrey said he believes that there is a connection between Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and controversial Attorney-at-Law Hugh Wildman who is under pressure from local attorneys to back away from taking up the post of Attorney-General of Grenada.

Humphrey, Assistant General Secretary of the Grenada Trade Union Council (TUC) made the charge Tuesday to reporters at a press conference held in St. George's.

The Jamaican-born Wildman has been recommended by government to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLCS) to replace local attorney Raymond Anthony as the new Attorney General.

The Grenada Bar Association has voiced strong opposition to the impending appointment and took a decision to boycott all court proceedings until the application is withdrawn on the grounds of his character and past behaviour. Sen. Humphrey, the President-General of the powerful Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), is fully in support of the move by the lawyers.

"What the lawyers are saying s that the judgment of the Prime Minister in executing his right that he has under the constitution (to select the Attorney-General) is so flawed, so questionable and so incorrect, that they decided to take action", he said.

Sen. Humphrey believes that the lawyers have acted like a trade union in the matter and branded the Prime Minister's judgment as being "flippant, irresponsible and poor." "We in the Trade Union movement have to join this issue in a very serious way, because of the potential for serious damage and serious infringement on the rights of our members", he added.

The veteran trade union leader conceded that Prime Minister Mitchell has the constitutional right to make a determination on who should be appointed as Attorney-General but other factors should be considered. Sen. Humphrey suggested that in the excise of this right the Prime Minister should choose "a person who is proper and fitting for the post." He called for the recommendation forwarded to JLCS for Wildman to assume the position to be withdrawn "because of the consequences which will flow."

He pointed out that under the Grenada constitution, if Wildman is appointed as Attorney General he can also hold the post of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) with powers to stop any criminal investigation. Sen. Humphrey is fearful that Wildman's nomination for the AG post could be connected to the $500, 000 U.S briefcase Commission on Inquiry involving the Prime Minister.

Barbadian jurist, Dr. Richard Cheltenham has been appointed as the sole commissioner to investigate into allegations that Dr. Mitchell took a financial bribe from German fraudster, Eric Resteiner in Switzerland in 2000 in exchange for a diplomatic position.

The Grenadian leader has consistently denied the claim, saying publicly that he received "approximately US$15, 000" from Resteiner to cover the cost of an official trip to several European countries and Kuwait.

Humphrey recalled that when the briefcase story was broken by the Miami-based Offshore Alert newsletter, it was Wildman as Special Advisor to the Police who indicated that there was nothing to investigate. "I see certain motives unfolding......I see a number of trends.... Only time will tell", the trade unionist said.