By Max Sterling

I will not forgive myself if I did not tackle the latest developments in neighbouring Trinidad & Tobago as it relates to how Prime Minister Patrick Manning is handling the issue of corruption in that country.

We must remember that this is the same Prime Minister who came to our rescue on 8th September, 2004 in the early aftermath of the passage of hurricane Ivan when the character occupying the office of the Prime Minister could not be found nor heard for three days rendering the nation leaderless politically and in all other ways.

If Grenada were really worth anything after its plundering during the nine years preceding Ivan, and I were TnT's Prime Minister Manning, I would have annexed the place once and for all and nobody could have quarreled over that.

If it were not for Patrick Manning of TnT, Grenadians would have had a complete experience of eating the bread the devil kneaded. I imagine, Grenada was not worth it for him and so no bid at annexation was made. One Trinidadian told me jokingly that Trinidad has enough bubbul artists living there as it is to go and add the many Grenada has to it.

I recall during a very prestigious celebration at Port-of-Spain Hilton, I was occasioned to engage Mr. Patrick Manning in a social conversation about 9 or so years ago when he was Opposition Leader, asking him why he snapped the general elections in Trinidad & Tobago when he clearly had more than two years left in his term.

His response was simply astonishing to me when he said: "All over Trinidad & Tobago I could have heard that I was running a corrupt government and being the serious born-again Christian that I am, that does not fit in to my Christian character.

“I therefore thought it in my best interest to call fresh elections and let the chips fall where they may. I was happy to notice that some of the people regarded as corrupt lost their seats and others who won their seats on our side eventually went over to the other side. That was the golden opportunity I had to purge my party at the highest level."

(Pardon me, but these may not have been his exact words. I am paraphrasing).

I am therefore not surprised to see his actions today remaining consistent with the character of the man. Could you imagine he is actually Prime Minister of the financial mecca of the Caribbean at a time when the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Police are taking serious action against his predecessor and many of his former senior ministers of government in the name of corruption and misbehaviour in public office.

Added to that, there are allegations of a similar nature of corruption with even members within the ranks of his own government. As de Trini does say: "How ee go look?" For the benefit of those of you who are not privy to the January 10th edition of the Trinidad Express, I bring it to you complete. I am sure you will say to the guilty - "Jail sharing in Trinidad - so “Littl Black” watch out!"

$.6M BAIL

Former minister on 7 counts of corruptly receiving $75,000

Hayden Mills

Port-of-Spain -- Tuesday, January 10th 2006

Former Energy Minister Eric Williams is shielded by supporters yesterday upon leaving the Port-of-Spain Magistrates' Court where he appeared on seven counts of corruptly receiving money.

"NO PNM officials were in court when former Energy Minister Eric Williams appeared before a magistrate yesterday charged with corruptly receiving $75,000 from PNM Councillor Dansam Dhansook.
But there was a small group of supporters who shielded the politician from the media as he left the Port-of-Spain Magistrates' Court.

When Williams surrendered to the Fraud Squad around 8.30 a.m. yesterday he was granted bail in the sum of $350,000 - $500,000 for each of the seven counts of corruptly receiving money.

However, when Williams appeared before Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim at the Port-of-Spain Fourth (A) Magistrates' Court around 10.25 a.m. his bail was reset at $600,000 to cover the seven charges.

Snr Supt Glenroy Woodley, head of the Fraud Squad, laid the indictable charges against Williams, of 69, Luis Street, Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain.

Williams was represented by Senior Counsel Desmond Allum and attorney Rajiv Persad while police prosecutor Roodal Harrylal appeared for the State.

Harrylal told the court that Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson had sent a message that a senior attorney would be appointed to the case at the next adjournment date.

As the seven charges were read to Williams, he stood silently and motionless in his black suit in the holding docks. After the charges were read he was told he was not called upon to plead.

Lee Kim said that she was keeping the matter before her since Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls, who usually hears high profile matters, had his plate filled with cases.

His brother Ernest Williams and mother Edris Todd-Williams were among the handful of family members present in court and in the precinct of the court while arrangements were being made to get the certified deeds to be used to secure bail.

He eventually left court around 2.30 in the afternoon and supporters pushed away photographers and journalists as Williams went to his BMW car, flashed a smile and ventured a wave of the hand before getting in the vehicle.

Dhansook, in an undated letter to Prime Minister Patrick Manning, said he paid bribes to both former Works and Transport Minister Franklin Khan ($120,000) and Williams for work on an oil exploration contract.

Khan is now before the courts on six corruption charges arising from the scandal while Williams tendered his resignation on Sunday night. Williams will reappear in court on January 19."

Do you think that above could happen here in Grenada? Not now at least under the author of decadence, himself! When the government changes, the first thing on the order paper has got to be the following of Trinidad & Tobago lead in this move to wipe out corruption in public office.

Manning is a Christian! Mitchell is a what? I don't even think he and all knows what he is. He is a Roman Catholic today, a Fire Baptiste tomorrow, and a something else the next day.

I am sure there is no rumour in Trinidad and Tobago about Manning taking regular blood baths and making mange pupput with God! Just by looking at the gentleman, one can discern a man of solid conviction and sound character - as against this kin' a chupidness we have parading up and down the place in the Botanical Gardens.

The many areas concerning "bubbul" and corruption not to mention "conmanship" which were carried on during the last ten years in particular need to be addressed seriously and the full force of the law must be brought to bear on each man and his brother.

Notwithstanding the plethora of accusations and in many cases substantial evidence to support these accusations nothing is done here in Grenada as an attempt to address corruption far less to wipe it out.

We are hearing today that the Ministry of Housing has issues with corruption in its handling of the post Ivan House repair programme. All we can see is Keith Mitchell putting that Ministry under his portfolio as if with his reputation he could solve any problem. If it was corrupt without his direct supervision, you could imagine what is likely to happen under his watch?

Any new Government coming into office has to deal with the Call Center fiasco with a view to bringing all players to account to the people for their millions of dollars thrown down the drain.

Serious investigation must be carried out into the deals with Viktor Kozeny, Eric Resteiner, and First International Bank of Grenada. Forensic audits must be carried out into the accounts of the country with active assistance from the U.S FBI and Britain's Scotland Yard.
Interpol must be called in to handle on our behalf the situation with our passports which were sold to all kinds of unsavory international "characters".

The personal finances of each Minister of Government from 1995 to the time of NNP's demise ought to be audited to see if their measly salaries could have paid off for their lofty homes bought in St. John’s, Westerhall Point, Lance Aux Epines, Frequente, and wherever else they have property.

Friends and family of the Kleptocracy ought to fall under the widespread investigation of their means to have acquired the amount of land some of them are said to have accumulated over the last eleven years and at what cost.

There are so many avenues we can recoup much needed finances to take care of our national debt that I can see places like Mt. Helicon being auctioned.

I am one who really believe that it is God's will that riches obtained by dishonest means end up in the hands of honest people.

Yet for all when all of this is said and done, the apparently never-ending nastiness in progress (nnp) expect hard working people to take up 5% of their already overburdened monthly wages to give to them in reconstruction levy.

I believe we will have time see the jail door banging at Richmond Hill before anybody parts 5% of their salaries.

I am sure many of you heard Eddie Frederick last Sunday and during the week on Spice Capital Radio (FM90.1) and must be glad that he has returned.

I understand that he has great plans for this time around. All you've got to do is stay tuned every Sunday between 11 and 12:00 noon.

I can hear the jail door banging louder in 2006. The Central Police Station on the Carenage is humming with anticipation as so many local Policemen and Policewomen are waiting for the opportunity to tip-toe those nastinesses on their way to court - all in the fullness of time.