Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has called on his critics to produce the "tape" showing him receiving an alleged bribery payment from the island's former Trade Counsellor, Eric Resteiner who is imprisoned in the U.S on multi-million dollar mail and wire fraud.
Addressing party supporters at a public meeting at Progress Park, St Andrew's on Sunday night, Dr. Mitchell touched on the infamous "briefcase issue" that has dogged him for the past four years.
The bribery allegation was first reported in a Miami-based newsletter "Offshore Alert" in April 2004.
Its editor, David Marchant claimed that Prime Minister Mitchell had allegedly accepted US$500, 000.00 from the international fraudster as part of a deal to make Resteiner a Grenadian diplomat.
Dr. Mitchell told the large gathering that Resteiner had offered to cover the travel expenses of his delegation on a 2000 promotional and investment tour of Europe and Kuwait and that Cabinet had agreed to this proposal.
The Prime Minister indicated that he had done nothing wrong in collecting "my money" from the international crook at his luxury villa at St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Dr. Mitchell admitted that even some of his supporters have been calling him and expressing concerns about the issue.
He responded by saying: "I spent my money and he (Resteiner) agreed to pay me back". "Let them bring the tape. The tape will show I collected my money".
Dr. Mitchell said he was indeed sorry that he didn't get more money from Resteiner, the holder of a Grenada economic citizenship passport.
Bring the tape," Mitchell urged his critics. "Don't ask me about the tape again", said Mitchell who also accused some supporters of even helping to spread the "briefcase" issue about him.
His address came against the backdrop of moves afoot in the United States by american oil investor, Jack Grynberg to solicit the "video-tape" from the imprisoned Resteiner through court action.
Grenada's deputy prime minister, Gregory Bowen, has so far failed in his bid to get a U.S judge to turn down an order that was given for the fraudster to hand over the "video-tape" that Grynberg is trying to obtain in order to use in a separate bribery allegation case against the Number Two Man in St. George's.
Governor-General, Sir Daniel Williams has officially informed Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas that he is "taking the necessary steps" to extend the life of a one-man Commission of Inquiry into the briefcase scandal that became bogged down due to court proceedings.
