A three-member
committee has been set up by the main opposition National Democratic
Congress (NDC) to look into allegations of "financial impropriety"
against the elected Member of Parliament for the rural St. Andrew
South east constituency, Kenrick Fullerton.
Informed
sources told GRENADA TODAY that the committee members include
Deputy Political Leader, George Prime who is a barrister-at-law
by profession as well as fellow barrister, Nazim Burke, and founder
member of the Congress Party, Jerome Joseph.
The investigation
was sparked off by increasing reports of discrepancy in some of
the financial dealings of Fullerton concerning monies handed over
to him by a number of clients. The M.P, a former police officer,
is currently engaged in the insurance brokerage business.
Following
is the full text of a statement released by NDC's political leader
Tilman Thomas on the Fullerton issue:I have ordered an urgent
meeting of a special committee of our party to investigate allegations
of impropriety by a member of our parliamentary team.
In recent
days accusations of impropriety have surfaced in relation to the
private dealings of this member. This is why I have directed our
party to investigate thoroughly but with haste. We are fortunate
to have a strong party which has the appropriate structures to
deal openly and frankly with any hints of impropriety by any member.
Even so,
we must be careful not to lead off a feeding frenzy, since natural
justice dictates that anyone accused of anything is innocent until
proven guilty. I have made it clear to all my colleagues that
this party I lead intends to bring a new level of morality to
the politics of the island, and we shall hold ourselves to an
even higher standard.
Our party
is different from the N.N.P - and we are determined to show this
not only in words but actions. We will provide all the moral support
to our colleague, and give him adequate chance to properly explain
himself. The investigation will be thorough, transparent, and
fair. Whatever the findings, I will report fully to the people
whose business we serve and whose aspirations we represent.
Rest assured
that my commitment to decency and good governance is solid - and
it is that commitment that fundamentally makes our party different
from the ruling party.
