CATEGORY:COMMENTARY ---------------------- INSIDE GRENADA WEDNESDAY September 05,2007 by Sandra Ferguson (Editor's note: The following article represents the views/opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of Grenadian Connection). Ah believe in giving Jack he jacket!! So ah felt that ah had to take me hat off to the NNP when: • I heard that the Briefcase Enquiry was round up the day after it resumed and that counsel for the Prime Minister claimed that the Prime Minister was vindicated • I heard statements that the executive of the NNP had met and expressed concerns about the cost of living • I read the NNP Perspective: Bills Passed in Parliament – the Perspective informed that the government continues to deliver on its promise of good governance. It then went on to elaborate on a number of bills passed in Parliament to facilitate ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY. No doubt about it! DEY HA DEY BELLY!! So I decided to take a closer look at the NNP Perspective. The Perspective advises that the government continues to deliver as on its promise of good governance. As it relates to contracts, the government is demonstrating fairness, transparency and accountability when business is conducted with contractors and suppliers. (I am perplexed therefore as to why CCC/CCI with all its shoddy work continues to be the contractors of choice for road works). According to the Perspective, the government had therefore passed the requisite bills to provide the framework. These bills are: •PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT ADMINISTATION Act, an Act to provide for the general requirements in relation to procurement to establish the Public Procurement Authority and harmonize public procurement processes in the Public Service. The main function of the Authority is to provide for increased public confidence as well as regulate and monitor public procurement - to provide safeguards for the maintenance of a procurement system of quality, integrity and transparency. It SOUNDS NICE!! But in actual fact, we the people are sure that the Authority will be composed of “hacks and quacks” and will just be means of taking BOBOL in Grenada to new heights!! Given how appointments of Directors are made to these public authorities in Grenada, we the people are not optimistic that the Public Authority is really intended to protect the PUBLIC PURSE. In fact, we are already speculating as to which PARTY HACKS are LINED UP FOR APPOINTMENT. •AUDIT Bill – to reform the law relating to the Office of the Director of Audit. A feature responsibility of the Director of Audit is to examine the Public Accounts annually and to submit an Annual report to the House of Representatives through the Minister. It should be applauded but what is the reality? We the people are aware of the hurdles that the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, has to overcome in order to obtain information. The Accounts are YEARS IN ARREARS. And do not forget that the last time that the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister was the Minister of Finance they were allegations by the then Director of Audit that the accounts had been tampered with. The Perspective advises we the people that “it takes A CABINET COMMITTED TO ACCOUNTABILITY and with NOTHING TO HIDE to pass an Audit bill”. We wish to remind the author(s) of the Perspective of the following: (i) that we the people are still awaiting information from the Hon. Anthony Boatswain about the $2.5 million that the Hon. Boatswain acknowledged was received from some Russians interested in the oil dealings in Grenada. In a Sundays with George Grant programme sometime aback, he assured us that the money was accounted for in the Budget but could not advise us under which line item that “small amount” was hiding. • (ii) Can anyone explain why the agreements between Grenada and the REAL ESTATE SPECULATORS parading as foreign investors are SECRET. Why is it that Peter de Savary has to first authorize any statement to be made on the Mt. Cinnamon project as per the agreement? WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE? • (iii) We also wish to remind the NNP that in spite of the fact that the People’s Republic of China has furnished Grenada with a HUGE GREEN ELEPHANT, we are still very much interested in monies owed to Grenada by the former developers of the SUB-STANDARD STRUCTURE THAT COLLAPSED LIKE A DECK OF CARDS during the passage of Hurricane Ivan. Remember, just before Ivan, we the people were told that REMEDIAL WORK was to be undertaken. We are sure that a refund of these monies can make a significant contribution to Debt Servicing. • The NRL (AMENDMENT) BILL – seeks to amend the National Reconstruction Levy Act by exempting an individual from deduction up to the level of $60,000. According to the Perspective, the NRL was introduced after the Hurricane, to demonstrate the commitment of Grenadians to their own rebuilding process. Recall Black Wizard’s calypso – “income tax by any other name is income tax” or Hon. Nazim Burke, “a pink pig is still a pig”. It is the Rt. Hon Prime Minister himself who has put his “troops” on ELECTION ALERT. With the cost of living SKYROCKETING, and the imminent advent of VAT, it is POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT for NRL to be effectively repealed. • OMBUDSMAN Bill – which will apply to all public authorities in Grenada except the Royal Grenada Police Force. It provides for the appointment of an ombudsman by the Governor-General, in consultation with the Prime Minister after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Now if this appointment is going to be similar to the recent appointment of the sole Commissioner in the recently concluded “Briefcase Enquiry” or even the appointment of the Governor-General himself (with all due respect to His Excellency), who is a past chairman of the NNP, the question on the mind of we the people is WHO DEY SETTING UP FOR THIS POST? The basic function of the ombudsman is to investigate any administrative action of a public authority, for the purpose of deciding whether there is evidence of mal-administration on the part of the authority. I take the opportunity to pose a question to the NNP Perspective in respect of the Land Development Control Authority which is responsible for approval of physical developments in Grenada, particularly plans of foreign real estate speculators like Peter De Savary. Is it true that a PARTY HACK is chairman of the LCDA? Is it true that the Chairman is in the EMPLOY of Mr. De Savary Port Louis project as an AGENT or CONTRACTOR/SUB-CONTRACTOR of sorts? However, the NNP Perspective FAILED TO INFORM we the people that the following amendments were also passed: • ALIEN (LANDHOLDING REGULATION) AMENDMENT BILL 2007 – This Bill gives the Minister the power, upon approval by Cabinet, to exempt a person from the provisions of the Act. • STAMP (AMENDMENT) BILL 2007 - amends the Stamp Act by allowing the Minister, upon the approval of Cabinet, to exempt a person from the payment of Stamp Duty. • INCOME TAX (AMENDMENT) BILL 2007 – This bill amends the Income Tax Act by giving the Minister the power, having received approval from Cabinet to exempt persons from the provisions with respect to WITHHOLDING TAX and also to vary by Order the exemptions in the Act. The NNP Perspective HAS NOT advised we the people that after “GIVING AWAY” the PEOPLE’S PROPERTY, the Government has also entered into an OBSCENE AGREEMENT which ALSO GIVES UP THE RIGHTS of we the people (through the Government) TO EARN INCOME from the activities to be undertaken by these speculators. These amendments seem to be in keeping with the agreement of January 11th, 2007 between the Government of Grenada and the parties, Spice Land Limited and Spice Land Trading Limited (one and the same, Peter de Savary): • Clause 4.12 – “The Government hereby UNDERTAKES TO PASS ANY NECESSARY LEGISLATION if found necessary to ensure that the terms of this Agreement are complied with”. • Clause 4.8. Commits the government to grant an EXTRAORDINARY FISCAL INCENTIVE PACKAGE which is detailed in Annex A of the Agreement. Among the provisions of this fiscal incentive package are the following EXEMPTIONS: (i) General Consumption Tax on all materials, equipment….and all and any other items (WITHOUT LIMITATION and so as to give the widest possible interpretation thereto)...” (ii) Customs Service Charges on imports of any kind. Let us remember here that customs service charge is paid by we the people even on the receipt of barrels (ii) Property Transfer Tax and /or any other property acquisition taxes (iii) A CAP ON PROPERTY TAXES for a period of twenty-five (25) years to the effect that the value of each unit shall not be taken to exceed the sum of EC$300,000. We understand that the some of the units at Mt. Cinnamon have ALREADY BEEN SOLD and that the going price was in the vicinity of US$500,000 (iv) Any duties and/or taxes exempting STAMP DUTY ON PROPERTY SALES AND FIRST RE-SALES of any part of the site. (iii) Any STAMP DUTY or other duties and/or taxes relating to loans and encumbrances on property. (iv) Any INCOME TAX or other tax on salaries of up to twelve (12)alien or expatriate managerial staff members and directors of the Land Owner and the Developer….” • Clause 4.8 also provides for (i) a limitation of five percent (5%) on ALIENS LAND HOLDING TAX or for EXEMPTION from this tax. (ii) REPATRIATION OF ALL CAPITAL AND PROFITS and/or otherwise taxes related to the receipt of rents and profits from land howsoever derived. (iii) Exemption from withholding tax, capital gains tax, any investment tax…. The list goes on and on. Annex D, the Consents List, makes several references to the Alien Land Holding Regulations. Among the CONSENTS granted are: • Annex D, Clause 1 grants a licence under the Aliens (Land holding Regulation) Act to hold the Site as sole owner and subject to NO CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS. • Annex D Clause 5, Consent is given to the Developer and/or the Land Owner (i.e. Peter de Savary) the licence under the Aliens (Land Holding Regulation) Act to borrow and/or lend funds in ANY AMOUNT IN ANY CURRENCY and UNDER ANY TERMS AND CONDITIONS FROM ANY ALIEN LENDER and/or borrower of the Developer and/or the Land owner’s choice. Is Grenada safeguarded from money laundering? It is fitting here to again refer to Clause 4.8.which grants EXEMPTION from any EXCHANGE CONTROL DUTIES OR TAXES relating to the Developer, Land Owner, Purchaser and or subsequent purchasers. • Annex D, Clause 24 consents to any licenses and/or permits which may be required in relation to money changing. And as if that were not bad enough, all of the incentives may be TRANSFERRED with the disposal of any land, property or operation to which they relate. And of course we the people know that the business of Peter De Savary is BUYING AND SELLING PROPERTY. Clause 15.3 concludes that “The GOVERNMENT SHALL DO OR PROCURE TO BE DONE all such further acts and things and execute or procure the execution of all such other documents as the Land Owner or the Developer may from time to time reasonably require for the purpose of giving them the full benefit of the provisions”. We the people believe that this agreement represents MAL-ADMINISTRATION on the part of the Government of Grenada and we submit this agreement for investigation by the proposed OMBUDSMAN. Lord, the NNP tink we stupidee!! Please put ah hand for Grenada!! GRENADA DESERVES BETTER! WE MUST DEMAND BETTER FOR GRENADA!!