17 June St. George's Grenada: The dark side of this island's government is
being exposed as witnesses continue to give evidence in a Commision of Inquiry set up to investigate an allegation
of bribery against Prime Minister Keith Mitchell.
Several sources had indicated earlier that the Mitchell administration is
not transparent and is conducting the people's affairs in the dark, and not in their best interest. Allegations, he denied
vehemently, but this Commission of Inquiry has exposed the Mitchell administration when it is only at its initial stage.
The evidence that has surfaced so far left a lot to be desired by the offshore
sector and how business was conducted with the many economic citizens.
Indication are that records which should show how much some of these economic
citizens paid are not available.Eric Resteiner for example, the man at the centre of the controversy surrounding $500,000
allegedly given to Prime Minister Mitchell paid $20,000, his son 20,000 and his wife 20,000 al in EC currency when by law
they were supposed to have paid $US38,000 for all three, which means that they did not pay or at least the correct sum of
money due to the treasury was not paid.
It cannot be business a usual or pure coincidence that some of the
records just disappeared when for a long time now there have been allegations of corruption and shady dealings
within the offshore department.
The revelations that continue to pop up during this inquiry puts Grenada
in a precarious situation and it is quite clear that money promised to Grenada will NOT be forth coming until donors
are satisfied that mechanisms are in place so that their funds will not end up in the hands of shady individuals.
Grendians are to brace themselves for hard times since no one wants to deal
with a government that is proven to be less than accountable on several instances.
To totally cleanse the system many more inquiries are to take place since
there are many many more instances where accountability has not been part and parcel of the focus of this administration.
By the time this inquiry is finished the island would be on the brink of
bankruptcy. Honest investors and donors are looking on, the eyes of the Caribbean are focus on Grenada, Europeans are watching
as a matter of fact the world is watching while some are making jokes about the Grenada government as was the case
in Qatar, when a Caribbean representative cracked a briefcase joke with another. Once again this once renown beautiful
island in the Caribbean has become a laughing stock to the world.
