CATEGORY:COMMENTARY ----------------------- INSIDE GRENADA MONDAY July 30,2007 by Lloyd Noel Beneath the umbrella of Parliamentary democracy - that we in the Commonwealth Caribbean are supposedly operating under - there are a whole range of do’s and don’ts, expectations and misconceptions, and un-realistic positions, that our people at one time or another, support or reject simply and too selfishly because it suits them for one reason or another. I suppose that a ready-made response to the above statement, could be - that is human nature and behaviour, so just accept it for what its worth and move on. But when we are dealing with all the various complexities that take place in the Global Village, much more attention is needed to be devoted to the issues as they arise - because at the end of the day, the things we gloss over to-day, for whatever reason, will come back to haunt us tomorrow with much greater consequences. Take, for example, the furor surrounding the issue as to the approach made by journalist Eugenie Mason to the Prime Minister after the Opposition walk out of Parliament two weeks ago, when the Speaker suspended Hon. Tillman Thomas, because he refused to obey a ruling by The Speaker to apologise to him. The Journalist version was that the Prime Minister was very hostile to her, and accused her of always putting out the NDC side of stories but not the NNP’s - and implied in his outburst, which also referred to her job with GBN, was that she will be brought under control. The Journalist was emotionally upset by the Prime Minister’s response to her request for his comments on the NDC walk out - and she reported the matter to the Media Association (MWAG). In response to MWAG’s intervention on her behalf, the Prime Minister gave a completely different version of the incident. He further accused the Journalist of accosting him inside his own Parliament, and insulting him as the highest office holder in the State. Knowing the Journalist as I do, for many, many, years, those accusations sounds very strange indeed. But be that as it may - as the highest office holder in the land, according to the Prime Minister, should he not have been living up to that office’s responsibility, decency, and public accountability? The Media is akin to the fourth Pillar of the Constitution as representing all the people, not just any particular political party. True enough, individual journalists and a newspaper or a Radio Station, may very well favour one party over another - but once they report the full story as they get it, after the usual checks and balances, and leave it to John public to decide what he/she wants to believe, then the role of the reporter/publisher is fulfilled. And it is then incumbent on the public officials who have been elected by the people, to serve the people honestly, faithfully and transparently - to do just that, in carrying out their trusteeship. When they fail to deliver their actions are always subject to public scrutiny and condemnation - and their only recourse is to come clean, or step down from their lofty positions as the servants of the people. In our tiny states where everyone knows everyone, news and stories, including Nancy-stories, fly around the airwaves, and highways and byways, like hurricane force winds - and many accounts get distorted and often times completely turned around. When such situations face those in authority, to maintain credibility and display transparency as Honorable Statesmen - the individual involved need only come face to face with the nation and produce the evidence to silence the enquirers. The business of the people, in any well run democratic State, should not be a continues case of hiding behind closed doors information that can clear the air and put issues to rest. And the current saga involving the Prime Minister and his U.S.A. Citizenship, is a very good case in point that should set the record straight. The Certificate that evidences the Prime Minister’s registration as a U.S. Citizen, has been published. No one is saying he is crazy, or mad, or insane; all he needs to do is publish to the people, his certificate of Revocation of his U.S. Citizenship and that wi ll be the end of that. The issue raised its ugly head, in the pleadings filed in the New York case by the Boston business-man, against Dr. Mitchell, his wife and Resteiner -in which the Claimant is seeking to recover One Million U.S. dollars allegedly paid by Resteiner to Dr. Mitchell for a diplomatic posting. Whether the Prime Minister is, or is not, a U.S. Citizen - the Case will proceed in the U.S.A.; and the first preliminary hearing is down for October third this year. An Appearance has been entered by Lawyers representing the Mitchells, and a Defence or answer to the Claim has to be filed in the New York Court by August tenth, according to reliable information received. As the Prime Minister of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique - the people of the Tri-Islands State need an explanation from him, as regards the allegation of U.S. Citizenship, because it has serious Constitutional implications for the State. I fail to see what is wrong, or malicious, or anti-NNP, or pro-NDC bias - about that position. Come on Mr. Prime Minister, things are very bad and getting worse with each passing day; the majority of our people are under serious strain and pressure, and the on-going political games are not improving the situation. Action must be taken to turn things around. The Lawyers Association (GBA) had its Ninth Sir Archibald Nedd Memorial lecture, at the Saint George’s University Bell Lecture Hall last week Thursday (26th July). The topic was “Development at what cost? A critical analysis of the Law relating to land use and foreign investment in small island states,” and the presenter was the Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda, Hon. Justin Simon Q.C. - who is not an elected member of the Parliament in that State; he is a Senator and a Cabinet Minister also responsible for Legal Affairs. His very thought provoking Lecture was centred around the happenings in his country, in connection with the sale and Lease of lands for Development, mainly in the Tourism sector over a number of years. The similarities with the happenings in Grenada, in that field of land development by foreigners in particular - were so close in resemblance, that he could have been mistaken for talking about Grenada. In fact, by some strange omen in anticipation of those similarities- the young lady-Lawyer who introduced Justin Simon Q.C., by a slip of the tongue described him as - “The Attorney General of Grenada”’ to the amusement of all present. The presentation by the Attorney General from Antigua, was followed by a very lively session of questions, and general comments by members of the large audience, who were very impressed with the methods the Attorney General was using in his Country, to ensure that all such land development redound to the benefit of his country men/women. But as per usual, one revelation by a concerned observer really surprised the Attorney General, who was at a loss to even begin to understand - how and why the Government could go to Parliament and get approval to Guarantee loans to a developer, who can, and in many cases well known to john public, have in fact drawn down on the loan before starting the development, and then walked away leaving the Government to use Tax-payers money to pay the Lending Bank. The Levera and the Mount Hartman development are cases in point, and the latter was a guarantee to a foreign Bank in Belgium, and the matter was decided by the High Court in London against the Government of Grenada, when the Bank brought a case to recover the monies the smart-man developer had drawn down against the Government guarantee. As one contributor observed in passing - the wrong people were there listening, but none of those who are currently giving away the people’s heritage and birth-rights. The Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament was present, and privately one observer suggested to me - that as a former Attorney General of this Government, he may have been sufficiently moved by the Antiguan Attorney General’s very profound submissions, to at least bring them to the attention of his NNP colleagues. And who knows - all things are possible in this life. As we grow older, and certain dark or obscure areas become clearer - previously closed eyes and minds could very well be opened, to let in and behold the new light. In other breaking news, in the constituency of St. John’s, we have a new candidate to replace Mrs. Claris Charles at the next General Elections, whenever they are called. The Prime Minister and his Education and Labour Minister, as well as Minister of Legal Affairs, Mrs. Charles, were at the Anglican School in Gouyave last week Friday to make the announcements to a party meeting. The information received is that Mrs. Charles will not be running the nest time around, and she will be replaced by Mr. Fitzroy Bedeau - a son of Gouyave and ex-Commissioner of Police with the incumbent NNP administration. He currently holds a security position in the Ministry of National Security under the Prime Minister. This is the second policeman in recent times, to have been chosen as candidates by the ruling party - the other been Senator Caton who was a former Sgt. of police. And my fairly reliable grapevine news bulletin, is that another Inspector of Police could be a third Candidate for a St. Andrew’s Constituency. The news at ground level, since the Last General Elections in November 2003, has been that the police force was divided in their support for the ruling party. And since the force is about Eight Hundred (800) strong, and only 6-10 votes separated the two main parties of NNP and NDC - with the ruling party holding a one seat majority in Parliament - the emphasis seems to be a concentrated effort, to target the Police Officers for wider and more in-depth support. Only time will tell, whether or not that tactic is destined to succeed or suck salt. However the policy plays out with the passage of time - the current atmosphere within the force is not a happy one but very unsettled. And that has to do with the pending promotion exercise that many officers are very concerned about. The powers-that-be seem to be intent on promoting officers that they feel or think support the party, and keeping out those they suspect are in opposition. That kind f policy is very backward oriented and at the end of the day could backfire in their faces. The police force, like civil servants across the board, are comprised of workers who have chosen that field as their careers - hence the reason so many stay put for all those years, even up to retirement. And like Soldiers in armies Worldwide, they are entitled to their political preferences and philosophies in the administration of their nations affairs. Doing their duties, and obeying the valid orders of those in command of the force - should have nothing what-so-ever to do with which political party is in control of the reins of power. Sir Eric Gairy tried that tactic in the 1972 - 78 period and it failed miserably in 1979. I sincerely hope, that those with the duties and responsibilities to lead our nation in these trying times - do not make the same mistakes all over again.