Editorial
Was it a mere slip of the tongue when Prime Minister Mitchell announced the date for the upcoming general elections and christened it "Liberation Day?
GRENADA TODAY has often heard Dr. Mitchell speaking in tongues on certain issues that he is not happy about especially when the Judiciary gives a ruling against him and the ruling New National Party (NNP) government.
Perhaps he was not speaking Sunday night in tongue but just trying to be as truthful as one can be when he stated that the July 8 elections means so much to him. And that really is the truth and nothing but the truth.
No one else but the Prime Minister fully understands the implications of a defeat at the polls for him personally and not so much the NNP administration that can see its eventual demise as a political party in this country.
For starters, the whistle-blowers would have nothing to fear and might now be willing to come forward with evidence of wrong-doing whether in Switzerland, Kuwait or inside Grenada itself?
The defeat of Mitchell at the polls would clear the way for U.S businessman, Charles Howland to resume the fraud-related case that he filed in a Brooklyn court against the Prime Minister, his wife Marietta and one-time Grenada special ambassador, the imprisoned international fraudster, Eric Resteiner.
What a day it will be to see the Prime Minister and Resteiner in the same building together for possible the first time since the events of June 2000 at St. Moritz, Switzerland.
The briefcase issue is far from over despite the findings of the Richard Cheltenham Commission of Inquiry. The demise of Dr. Mitchell would see the start of a serious police investigation into the bribery allegations.
This newspaper hopes that the Prime Minister is still holding onto his receipts to show that he collected "approximately US$15, 000" from Resteiner and not US$500, 000.00 as alleged in other quarters in the form of a bribe for a diplomatic posting to provide cover for the fraudster.
Will Dr. Mitchell risk looking Resteiner in his face in a courthouse in New York and call him once again "a white crook?" There is no doubt that this fraudster can be a lethal witness against our Prime Minister since the evidence points to him making available to the FBI a copy of the video-tape depicting the transfer of the cash payment in Switzerland.
This is one of the most likely scenarios that can unfold if Dr. Mitchell loses the upcoming general elections. And no one but him understands the full implications.
Surely, a defeat for the Prime Minister will bring an end to his current status as a fugitive from justice in the United States. It will be impossible for the U.S State Department to continue to harbour and grant him immunity from prosecution as Head of government in Grenada.
Our Prime Minister is no fool and knows more than anyone else under a Tillman Thomas-led NDC government that he will not receive any light slaps on the wrist or pardon and forgiveness for crimes committed while in office.
There are those in our midst who do not know that the first person to oppose Dr. Mitchell politically in the 1980's in the first term of the NNP regime then led by the late H.A Blaize was Tillman Thomas.
The current NDC political leader was then a "comrade" of DR. Mitchell as the two were both elected members on the same side of the house following the 1984 general elections.
"Uncle Tilly" had spotted the early dictatorial tendencies of Dr. Mitchell who was the Minister of Communications and Works and decided to openly challenge him for the post of General-Secretary in the NNP at the party's first convention.
It is true that Dr. Mitchell won the contest overwhelmingly. The second Thomas/Mitchell clash came a few months later when Dr. Mitchell played a key role in allowing a civil servant, Norris Nelson to be elected onto an executive body of the NNP against the rules of the Public Service Commission.
Almost 25 years later, the same Tillman Thomas is leading a party in a most crucial election that can see the ultimate demise of Keith Claudius Mitchell not only as Prime Minister of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique but also as an individual.
"Uncle Tilly" is not the kind of person whom one can approach to work out a deal for persons who are law-breakers. His position will always be firm - if you break the law then face up to the penalty.
This newspaper has every reason to believe that Dr. Mitchell is fully aware of this non-compromising attitude of Tillman Thomas whether as leader of Congress or Prime Minister of the Spice Isle.
The records will show that "Uncle Tilly" was prepared to take on Dr. Mitchell over the years for perceived wrongs committed in the Blaize-led NNP administration even though the two gentlemen were "comrades" in the struggle in the early 80's.
