ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, DECEMBER 8th, 2009 _ The Ministry of National Security is appalled by the continued defiance of persons who were issued diplomatic passports under the previous administration. The Ministry is concerned that despite the many official notices and substantial public discussion and debate on the issue of persons holding diplomatic passports, that Marietha Dian Mitchell, the wife of Opposition Leader, Dr. Keith Mitchell, has failed to surrender the diplomatic passport issued to her by the previous administration. As recently as Friday, November 27th 2009, Mrs. Mitchell had the diplomatic passport in her possession whilst traveling on personal business. It is even more disturbing that Mrs. Mitchell refused to surrender the document when requested to do so by the Immigration Officer at the Maurice Bishop International Airport, on the morning of Friday November 27th 2009, citing the need to use the diplomatic passport to facilitate her return to Grenada. It should be noted that at the time Mrs. Mitchell was traveling on her United States passport. Following the change in administration on July 8th 2008, official notices were published in the Government Gazette and in the electronic and print media, requesting holders of official and diplomatic passports, to submit them to the Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office. It is not the norm that the spouse of the Leader of the Opposition is granted a diplomatic passport. The matter is further compounded by the fact that the diplomatic passport in question describes the holder of the document as the “spouse of the Prime Minister”. “Whilst it is generally known, it must be made absolutely clear that Mrs. Marietha Dian Mitchell is not the wife of Prime Minister Hon. Tillman J. Thomas, and as such the decision by Mrs. Mitchell to continue to use the diplomatic passport, amounts to impersonation,” according to the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary. “It is important that Mrs. Mitchell follow the legal requirement and surrender the document, which, as with all diplomatic and official passports, are kept in the possession of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until it has to be used by the holder, while undertaking official duties,” the Press Secretary said. Legal professionals in Grenada agree that the use of a document to misrepresent oneself as someone else for personal benefit, amounts to fraudulent representation and is an infraction of the law.