During the past eight to ten years, there had been so many complaints and accusations about wrong doings and corrupt deals in our public affairs – and the incidents were always pointed out in detail with documentary evidence in support – that one would have thought we had seen and heard it all, and there cannot be anything else in those dark years to further shock us. And especially as we were heading up to General Elections this year, and the clamour for change was, or should have been, making frightening noises in the eardrums and consciences of those then in control – who were begging the voters to let the progress continue, by giving them a fourth consecutive term at the reins of power. It seems reasonable to have expected those in the driving seat, to steer clear of any kinds of appearances of hanky-panky in their last days – after all that have been laid at their door steps and on the roads they had travelled over all those turbulent years. But then again, as those dear old folks used to tell us younger ones in those by-gone glory days – “when you see dogs sucking eggs, don’t expect them to change overnight, hide your eggs or change your dogs”. And as we are looking at the records, and checking the till as any responsible in-coming new controllers have to do – to be able to give accurate and precise accounts of what is left and how they will manage the people’s affairs – one has to be concerned and to be careful about fairness and equality in the public interest. We don’t have to be narrow or petty, seeing evil in everything. But to lose all sense of right or wrong dealings – is to lose faith in the Almighty Being, since the moral law is ultimately based in a supreme Law-maker to whom we are all finally accountable. Having said that, however, until we all get to wherever that final Judgment day will be held – we are duty bound to take care of the happenings here on earth; and where we find actions taken, words spoken, public responsibilities carried out, that appear fishy or suspicious on the surface – we the finders have a duty to disclose them as we find them. We have nearly all of us heard about Lewis Hamilton, the now very famous racing driver in England whose Grand-parents hail from Grand Roy in St. John in Grenada. Needless to repeat that we are all very proud of him, and especially so because he has excelled in a sport that we in Grenada have little or no knowledge about, except those who have been fortunate to travel abroad and seen the spectacle. And readers may remember, that when the Independence Anniversary was celebrated in February this year – the young Hamilton was given an award of some sort by the then Government in control. Not too long afterwards, the news spread that the young man was interested in starting a business in Grenada in the Hotel and Tourist Industry – and that news to many must have sounded like true patriotism and no doubt very welcome by all and sundry. The Grand Beach Resort in Grand Anse was the property ear-marked for Mr. Hamilton’s business venture. The property, at least the Buildings thereon, is owned by Issa Nicholas (G’da) Ltd of Trinidad and Tobago , and the lands are on Lease Hold from the Government of Grenada for whatever number of years. It appears that Lewis Hamilton had a Company Incorporated in Grenada viz. “Time Bourke Holdings ( Grenada ) Limited” – with two local shareholders acting as a Director and a Secretary – to purchase the property on his behalf. The Company could have purchased the Buildings on the land and the remaining years of the Leasehold from Issa Nicholas (G’da) Ltd, and continue to pay the yearly rent for the Lease to Government – as nearly all the property owners on Grand Anse Beach are doing. But the Government agreed to Transfer (sell) the free hold for the land to the Company, so that henceforth the Company would own the Buildings and the land (in Fee Simple) without having to pay any rent to Government, and can sell the buildings and the lands at anytime as it sees fit. Now nothing is wrong with that; and in fact my information is that the Port St. Louis group which bought the Cinnamon Hill Hotel and Restaurant – further down the beach from the Grand Beach Resort – also bought the Free Hold of the lot on the beach front, where they planned to build a Condominium of hundreds of apartments in a five or six floor building over-looking the Grand Anse Beach. And since a complete stranger could have gotten those facilities – along with the (25yrs) Twenty-Five years Tax-free concessions that group got – then why can’t a famous Grand son of the soil? But the deal is not as straight forward as it appears. The land comprises Twenty Acres four and six-tenths Poles (20Ac. 4 6/10 Pls.) and it was valued for the sale in the sum of Fifteen Million Dollars United States Currency ($15,000,000.00 U.S.); and the sale terms in the Deed continued as follows -“which said value would be realized by the grant of the Purchaser to the Vendor of the right to use and reproduce approved photographs and recordings of Lewis Hamilton and Lewis Hamilton’ s name, autography and approved biography for and in connection with the promotion of the State of Grenada for a period of four years commencing from the date of this Deed subject always to the existing contractual obligations or restrictions which The Vendor (Government) has agreed to accept as the full consideration for the sale of the freehold of the said hereditaments to the Purchaser.” So the whole lot of land was conveyed to The Purchaser (freehold) for the use of his photographs and recordings etc. etc. in the promotion of Grenada , no doubt as a holiday resort. The Deed was signed by the Governor General Sir Daniel C. Williams on the “7th July, 2008” – and the same was prepared by the Law Firm of “Danny Williams & Co.” My understanding, from fairly reliable sources, is that the Agent acting on behalf of the Government of Grenada was the Economic Advisor and roving Ambassador, Dr. Patrick Antoine, who resides in Trinidad – and his fees were in the region of 10% of the land value i.e. One point Five Million U.S. dollars. The other professionals who did their work were no doubt paid by Mr. Hamilton – but the people of Grenada who really and truly own the said lands got NOTHING. I understand that the Deed has not yet been recorded in the Deeds and Land Registry – because one or two concerned Civil Servants in the Ministry of Finance (for once) cannot decide how much stamps will be needed to cover the value of the Racing driver’s name and photograph and autograph and perhaps a picture of his Racing Car – so as to give clearance for Recording. The sale of Issa Nicholas buildings and equipment therein to the Company – is very different and separate and apart from the above. I have no quarrel in one sense with Lewis Hamilton – except that he should have done his own due diligence and not get himself entangled with those seasoned dealers and wheelers of long-standing in Grenada – who had graduated with (dis)honours in their scams with World-renowned crooks and smart men and gangsters. He also must have paid some hard Cash to certain individuals – over and above the professionals who provided their services in implementing that sordid and shameful deal in the name of our people. Back in the days of Judas Iscariot in Jerusalem , when he brought back his dirty and bloodied Thirty pieces of Silver to the Leaders of the Pharisees and Sadducess in remorse – they used the blood money to buy the Potters Field. I wonder aloud, if those who received their cut of what was paid were brave enough to bring it back to the Treasury – and Hon. Nazim Burke as Finance Minister decided to buy a field in their memory, how he would name it after them. I would suggest a field “for corrupt and disgraced Politicians (C&DP) of all shades and colours”. Maybe that would deter others in the future. It is almost un-believable, that on the very last moment before Liberation Day, the then P.M. and Minister for Finance, now the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition in Parliament – advised the Governor General who is Her Majesty’s Representative as Head of State in these Isles, to sign the above diabolical and fraudulent document, to deprive the very loyal subjects of Her Majesty from receiving the true value of their lifelong heritage. And to recall the same Ex.P.M, a day or two after the people delivered their verdict – is widely reported to have admitted that he expected to lose the Elections. See Ricky Singh’s Article in the Barbados Nation a couple weeks after July 8th. The much wider and deeper question now begs itself - who are the other Ex-Cabinet Ministers involved in that deliberate and shameful fraud, from which they must have benefitted? Because while from the public record of disgraceful deals perpetrated by the ousted lot over those thirteen years – with one or two of them more culpable then the others – I cannot believe that the above scampish deal, was designed and executed between the Diplomatic Agent in T&T and the Ex-P.M. without any recourse to Cabinet for a Conclusion. Confession is always good for the soul – and regardless of what religious belief you care to hold, the human body is not just flesh and bones and blood; there is in there somewhere a spiritual and conscientious being, that lives on to haunt and torment each individual, as time goes on and the hidden truths reveal themselves. So come on you guys and gals – clear your conscience and let the chips fall where they may. And talking about clearing one’s conscience, am hearing on the grapevine news, that the ex-special branch chief has been saying publicly – that he is not taking the blame alone for the destroyed files, but he will be naming the National Security official who ordered him to carry out the destruction. The two top officials who were in that Ministry are both in the U.S. – wonder if both are returning to face it? Despite the petty and jealous comments by those ex-Ministers, about the busy schedule of the P.M. and some of his Ministers – in carrying out their foreign affairs and very necessary diplomatic duties overseas – I see they are addressing very large and keenly interested Grenadian crowds in the U.S. and Canada, as well as the very important Council of Regional Heads in Washington, and of course the United Nations General Assembly in New York. All part and parcel of their mandate to serve. And talking about service, and recognising the many outlets now available for all and Sundry to freely express their views and opinions across the board – we are duty bound to mourn the passing of a true stalwart in the print and electronic media Industry, in the person of the late Errol Maitland – a visionary of many parts, who went ahead leaving us behind to carry on where he left off. He followed those of us who started the Grenadian Voice, with his Informer Newspaper, and later on his MTV Television and FM Radio Station. He took on the Reno- Cinema when that form of entertainment was slowly fading away, and his now famous Car sales and Rentals Service in Grand Anse have helped many low – income persons to own a Vehicle. While the businesses may carry on, he will be greatly missed as the Boss. My sincere condolences to his family and his staff; and may he rest in peace, as we fondly remember him for having confronted the many obstacles he faced – but nevertheless, he went ahead and tackled them his way. As the old folks used to say – “we never missed the water until the well went dry” – I do hope we are, or will be, able to replenish that water before the free press goes dry. Inside Grenada News