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

By Max Sterling

I have already told you through this column that your negligence will be the death of many of you. As a serious warning we have received one TREMENDOUSLY tempestuous storm followed ten months later by another less in intensity, yet equally destructive, and we seem not to have learnt our lessons.

It is true that matters of nature will continue to unfold regardless of what we do to prevent them. It is my fervent belief that when one's life is properly ordered with constant association to the right things and right itself - one may not be able to prevent the inevitable, but by positive mental conditioning and the right conduct, one can surely soften the blow.

I have every reason to believe there is a force greater than man, as through that force I am fortified to continue to be as forthcoming as I am through this medium. The iniquitous nature of many of our people especially those in authority - regardless of whether in government or out of government will always attract the efforts of the God force to bring us to our knees.

Yes, it might appear to many of us mere mortals of humble means that those with money among us are not affected. Trust me! They are the ones who are hurting deep down inside.

In fact, many of them wished they could have picked up and left Grenada. If it were not for their business commitments, they would have moved fast and far away from Grenada even in times prior to Ivan's passage far less in a post-Ivan context.

The instability of Grenada now in context of the lack of security in the widest sense of the word has sparked a kind of surrender never before known in our midst. Members of the business community cannot help but employ a kind and level of energy they never knew they had in order to survive.

Employees probably do not have any idea as to how fragile the Grenadian economy has become with very little hope for them by way of continued employment. I am forecasting that the coming year, let alone the years thereafter will result in a new but dismal reality for many.

Of course, when one turns on to the reality that as long as the "Chief T'ief" continues to hand around, there would be no real assistance coming Grenada's way.

The more Grenadians become aware of this is the quicker they should seek to get rid of the "status quo" and make some effort to indicate to the international community that they mean business.

I know for a fact that the international community want to help Grenada but are loathed to doing so for fear that their taxpayers' money end up in private overseas bank accounts.

The windfall of that this Chief Thief and those close to him were expecting in the wake of Ivan's passage and now again through the passage of Emily never happened and will never happen. What you are going to find is that satellites and stooges of the NNP who are steeped in their culture of dishonesty will try to swindle poor Grenadians with this reconstruction phase that is taking place.

Everyone is asked to remain vigilant as eternal vigilance is the price of true and genuine freedom.

Just two days ago while in conversation with a particular diplomat, I was told that Grenada's goose is cooked as his country is definitely not willing to do anything significant (requiring lots of cash) as long as Keith Mitchell is in office for fear that their gift to the people of Grenada will be used for political favours.

I was told by this same diplomat that other colleagues feel the same way and trust that a miracle would happen for the people before they begin to become more desperate and anarchy sets in.

This diplomat who will remain nameless seems to think that there is an urgent need for the parliamentary opposition that represents 6 votes less than the Mitchell administration, should get together with civil society including the Conference of Churches, Labour Unions, NGO's, and the Chamber of Commerce and assert themselves by demanding through structured protest a stop in the widespread political patronage which has been going on in the aftermath of Ivan.

This diplomat seems to think that such a grouping will of course represent an even larger number of the citizenry than represented by the Mitchell Administration.

This group, he said will be strong enough to bring the government to its knees thus leveling the playing field so that aid received could be distributed evenly. Such a challenge if met will yield an opening up of the clenched fists of the international community (both represented in Grenada and outside in neighbouring CARICOM islands), this diplomat believes.

When the opposition leader - Hon. Tillman Thomas - returns from China with his delegation over the weekend, he has his work cut out for him with this action he filed against Dr. Richard Cheltenham in Keith's Briefcase-a-money-inquiry. Just to remind you, Mr. Thomas took action against the Commission for leaving out the lawful parliamentary opposition.

The matter was heard last week Tuesday - and guess what? Michael Sylvester - the lawyer that is often used by Keith Mitchell, was retained to represent Cheltenham. This is the same Sylvester who has been retained by Keith to file so many civil actions against Grenadians and who sits alongside Hugh Wildman at times in those criminal libel and sedition matters brought against private citizens.

Mitchell is the only man, let alone head of government anywhere in the world who goes to court almost each month to prove his innocence. There is glaring evidence to support the allegation that Dr. Fenton Ramsahoye (Counsel for the Briefcase Inquiry) prepared Dr. Cheltenham's defense and gave it to Sylvester to file in our local Supreme Court Registry.

And of course you know that Ramsahoye is the legal counsel in the commission acting on behalf of "WE" the people, questioning witnesses who appear before this now questionable commission!

How was Ramsahoye's role discovered? Sylvester filed the defense that was faxed to him by Ramsahoye from his home in Barbados. He (Sylvester) did not even have the common decency to type over the document. And when he filed it, he omitted to remove from the top of each page Ramsahoye's name and the fax number that the document came from.

Sylvester served the same document on Ruggles Ferguson of Ciboney Chambers - representing the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

I know that someone in Barbados checked out the number which appeared on the fax and discovered that it is listed in Ramsahoye's name .... a private home line that he uses as both telephone and fax.

Even on the day of the hearing, it became much clearer as to the closeness between Ramsahoye and Keith Mitchell & Co.

Counsel Ruggles Ferguson was driving behind a vehicle on his way to the Trade Center where the matter was heard by the judge and who should he see in that vehicle but Hugh Wildman and Dr. Ramsahoye. So you get the message. This inquiry is nothing but a farce and should be stopped immediately.

As a matter of fact, Hon. Tillman Thomas as leader of the opposition will have to call on the GG to scrap the whole "pappy-show" of an inquest into the conduct of Mitchell as a sitting Prime Minister who admitted in a national address to receiving (inappropriately, at that) a sum of money from international crook, conman, and fraudster - to Eric Resteiner.

The opposition needs to engage all foreign consulates on Grenada, all others accredited to Grenada residing in either Port-of-Spain, Bridgetown, Castries, Washington, New York, Caracas, London, and wherever else. CARICOM & OECS Heads ought to be informed also of this briefcase development.

Now that something smells rather fishy about the process of inquiring into Mitchell's questionable and irresponsible behaviour in such high office, the Chinese, who frown on corruption ought to be advised of this - since they too, are awaiting the outcome of this inquiry to decide how easy to deliver to Grenada their commitment to support our recovery efforts.

So you see, how much it depends on each and every one of us to stand up against Mitchell so we can lift our heads proudly once more and receive the aid which awaits his demise?

Grenadians need to bring Mitchell and his gang to their knees and make darn sure that the whole lot of them are put where they belong and surely not Happy Hill.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author.