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

Political Leader of the People's Labour Movement (PLM), Dr. Francis Alexis is not happy with the decision of the one-man Commission of Inquiry to prevent the Parliamentary Opposition in Grenada from having official representation in the US$500, 000.00 Briefcase Inquiry taking place at the Trade Center at Grand Anse.

According to Dr. Alexis, the Richard Cheltenham Commission inquiring into the Keith Mitchell-Eric Resteiner Switzerland connection should "amply accommodate" the Leader of the Opposition to contribute to the proceedings.
Alexis contends that the Opposition Leader clearly has a legitimate interest in the work of the Commission, considering his constitutional position, the nature of the inquiry, and the role of the Opposition in getting the Commission going.

In handing down his ruling, Dr. Cheltenham made reference to Section 18 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, Chapter 58 of the laws of Grenada. He said that based on "a proper construction" of the act, it was clear to him that "neither the Opposition Leader, nor the Official opposition, is the subject of inquiry, or in any way concerned or implicated with the matters under inquiry".

He stated that while he accepts that the matters under investigation are of public interest and concern, the Leader of the Opposition has other forums like parliament "for expressing his own and his party's views on these matters".

"The inquiry is a quasi-legal forum governed in large measure by the Commissions of Inquiry Act. The application before me does not find support within the four corners of the act, and is accordingly refused", he said.

Dr. Alexis urged the Cheltenham inquiry to "scrupulously avoid giving any unnecessary impression of being overly anxious to shield Prime Minister Mitchell from rigorous scrutiny". Any such appearance, Alexis warns, will be counter-productive, and cannot do any good either to the Commission or to Dr. Mitchell.

He called on the Commission "to take a generous approach to the matter of the Opposition Leader's standing to participate fully in the proceedings of the Commission". He made a plea for the Commission to accommodate the Opposition Leader, whether by legal entitlement or statutory discretion.

Dr. Alexis said that Dr. Cheltenham should re-consider the ruling it gave Monday on the matter of denying the parliamentary opposition official participation in the $US500, 000 Switzerland Briefcase Inquiry involving Prime Minister Mitchell.