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HOME	OCTOBER 15 th, 2005

"We need a real Prime Minister in Grenada".

Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas issued these words on Sunday night while addressing a public meeting of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) held at the Car Park in the Melville Street Fish Market in St. George's.

According to Thomas, the current holder of the office of Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell will go down in history as an "approximate" Prime Minister.

This is a clear reference to allegations made against the Grenadian leader that he accepted a bribe of US$500, 000.00 in June 2000 from American-born fraudster, Eric Resteiner in exchange for a diplomatic position with the Grenada government. In a national radio and television broadcast to the nation last year, Dr. Mitchell told Grenadians that he received "approximately $US15, 000.00" from Resteiner not in the form of a bribe but to cover the expenses of his delegation that was undertaking a trip to several European States and Kuwait.

Dr. Mitchell also used the word "approximate" to describe a money problem he had in the 1970's while employed with the Grenada Shipping Agents. The editor of this newspaper had asked the Grenadian leader about the shipping agents issue in the 1980's when he returned to the island to contest elections that returned Grenada to democratic rule of law following the collapse of the 1979-83 Grenada Revolution.

He admitted that he had done "something wrong" back then but very much regretted it.
The Opposition Leader also accused the Mitchell's New National Party (NNP) government of subverting the independence of the judiciary on the island.

He pointed an accusing finger at the government in a case before the Grenville Magistrate Court involving one of its known political activists in the St. Andrew North-east constituency.

According to Thomas, the case has been adjourned sini die (without a fixed date) due to "political interference" from the NNP regime. "We have to abide by the rule of law in this country and do not interfere with the court system", he told the large gathering.

The case involves convicted drug dealer, Diego Peters of La Potrie, St. Andrew's who was charged by police with the illegal possession of a small quantity of marijuana. Peters is contending that the police planted the drugs on him.

The NDC boss gave assurances that a government formed by the congress party will never interfere with matters before the courts. "This is a commitment from the NDC. Anybody who is accused of committing a crime will have to answer for it in the court system", he remarked.

When the matter was adjourned sini die, Peters' lawyer in court was barrister-at-law, Michael Sylvester who is known to be a member of a team of lawyers on the island often used on local court matters by Prime Minister Mitchell. Sylvester took over the case from attorney-at-law, Peter David of Ciboney Chambers who was in court at the time but allegedly was not told by the convicted drug lord that he had been "fired" for new legal representation.

Thomas also chided the Mitchell government for discriminating against some Grenadians in the granting of scholarships offered to the country by foreign governments and agencies. He claimed that the NNP is giving scholarships only to the children of their "friends and political supporters". "Scholarships are not being given on merit. NNP is undermining all the institutions in the country", he added.

The NDC leader also took issue with the government's policy on agriculture, accusing it of not doing little or nothing to aid farmers who are trying to recovery from the bashing received from two hurricanes in the past year. He charged that despite the appointment of two Ministers of Agriculture (Gregory Bowen and Roland Bhola), the island was infested with vines.

"All over the place is just vines. It is as if they (the ministers) are only cultivating vines in the country", he told the gathering.