ST. GEORGE'S: OUTSPOKEN Grenada Trade Unionist and Senator Chester Humphrey says the country is being fleeced because of poor governance and corruption, and calls for a new struggle to be waged against the Keith Mitchell administration. Humphrey said a recent court ruling which directs the government to pay 17 million EC dollars to a Trinidadian company in a case in which the government by its own acknowledgement did not put in a defense highlights recurring cases of irresponsible government. The Grenadian lawmaker said the problem has its genesis in the 1995 decision by the government to back-out of the contract for a lease of the island’s quarries to Dipcon Engineering of Trinidad, and have it replaced by another company it is rumored provided government officials with kickbacks. Humphrey told CARIBUPDATE in an exclusive interview Thursday that the Grenada government faces another major multi-million payout for its policy and attitude. The Grenada Independent Senator said he understands that a new judgment for about seven million EC dollars is being handed down against the state in a matter involving local activist Dorset Charles. Charles’ beachside property was demolished over a decade ago after officials claimed he had no permit to operate a water-ski operation at Grand Anse. Humphrey, who said he is preparing to bring it up in the Senate, also reported Grenada is in danger of losing 17 million dollars on a tourist development project in the north of the island and a further 15 million in another controversial development in the south. “I plan to raise the issue of the Levera Development Project in parliament because we believe something is very amiss there,” Humphrey told. The Grenada government guaranteed 17 million dollars for the project to develop a hotel and a Golf Course on the north of the island, but rumors round the island, which has not been confirmed, say the developers might have left. There has been inactivity at the project site in recent times. “We need to get to the bottom of this because it is the people that will be left with the bill,” Humphrey said. “Workers on the project since November have been complaining to our union that they have not been paid salary and wages, and so something has gone wrong there,” the trade unionist said. CARIBUPDATE was unable to speak to the Minister of Tourism on the status of the project, and one official at the department promised to investigate the matter and get back to us. Humphey also expressed concerned about the Mt Hartman Project in the south of the island, involving a 15-million dollar guarantee to an American developer. Nothing has happened with the project in many years, and the government, which wants to get back control of the property, seems set to get into a legal battle with the developer. Late last year Ministry of Finance officials reported to parliament that nearly seven million dollars were already drawn down on the project. “And what is worse in this is that officials acknowledged that there was no system in place to guarantee the national purse,” Humphrey said. The trade unionist said it is “clear” that the workers’ movement must “intensify its struggle” against what he called “irresponsible governance.” The New National Party which won all the seats in parliament in 1999 – the first time there was a parliamentary clean sweep – saw its popularity slip in the last few years. A few months ago it won only eight of the 15 seats in parliament, losing four other seats by under 50 votes. The opposition has consistently accused the government of corruption and mismanagement, charges the Mitchell administration has repeatedly denied as distortion and propaganda. “Grenadians had an opportunity to remove this bunch of scoundrels, and we fell short by six votes,” Humphrey declared. “But in the interest of Grenada the struggle must be intensified. It is in the interest of workers of the country to see the removal of the Keith Mitchell government.” Humphrey said there must be a greater public outcry against the way government has handled the Dipcon issue, and suggested that then Minister of Works Gregory Bowen and the entire cabinet must he held responsible. The opposition has already called for the resignation of Bowen over the issue. Government says it has launched an investigation into why its Legal Affairs Department had not put in a defense in the case which came out of a decision in 1995 to terminate the Dipcon contract, which was negotiated by a previous National Democratic Congress government. Three weeks after government announced it was launching the investigation there has been no word as to its progress but government sources have assured CARIBUPDATE that “heads will surely roll” over the issue. But Humphrey said the government is seeking to hide behind the technocrats. “So for Mr. Bowen to attempt to hide behind the efficiency or lack thereof of Mr Errol Thomas (the then Attorney General) in not entering defence is the most spurious and empty defence that the minister has so far offered,” he said. “The truth of the matter is that the NNP had to have Dipcon expunged and expelled from the government quarry because they had their own design. The Minister designed it to ensure Dipcon be removed and a company more favorable to themselves be put in place,” he said. “I ask the question under what condition does the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) now holds the contract for the very same quarry facilities which Dipcon leased. “I know for a fact that the Minister has a personal long term agreement with that company where his property is rented by them for substantial sums of money, and all of those issues will possible help to explain why all these things have happened,” the outspoken lawmaker said. Humphrey declared: “The question which needs to be asked is, has there been a convergence to personal benefit and for personal use of the minister and others, the expulsion of Dipcon and the deal with CCC.” SOURCE: CARIBUPDATE.COM