CATEGORY:BUDGET DEBATE
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By Trevor Thwaites
Inside Grenada correspondent



TRADE CENTER, Grand Anse: Parliamentary Representative for St George’s North East, the Hon Nazim Burke, has accused the government of “gross misuse of state funds, during his response to the National Budget that was presented by Finance Minister, the Hon Anthony Boatswain, last week Friday. Burke, the NDC shadow minister for finance claimed that the government had spent EC$1.2 million dollars in legal fees for Advisor to Cabinet, Hugh Wildman, in a law suit against the Legal and Judicial Services Commission (LJSC).

The suit, according to Burke, challenges the position of the commission, which did not support the bid of Wildman to become the Attorney-General of the country. He accused the government of using the Attorney General’s office to represent Wildman in the case. “This is a private lawsuit. If Wildman is dissatisfied with the decision of the commission, he can take the matter to court as he has done; but he is not entitled to government’s paying the bill. That’s misuse of state funds.”

Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, the Hon Elvin Nimrod and Prime Minister Dr the Hon Keith Mitchell both rose on a point of order to dismiss the claim. Nimrod demanded that the St George’s North East Representative retract the statement and produce evidence to substantiate his accusation. “This is totally false. I will like the member to bring proof or withdraw the statement”, the Legal Affairs Minister interrupted. But Burke continued. “Maybe it is 999 thousand dollars.

“Maybe it is not a million, but monies were paid by the government to the Guthrie Company- a law firm in England”, he insisted. When asked by the Speaker of the House, the Hon Lawrence Joseph, to clarify the statement or whether he was sure, the NDC Shadow Finance Minister admitted that he was not sure because he did not make the payment himself, stating that he was reliably informed by officials in the ministry of finance who were upset
over the issue.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell also intervened, saying that Burke was simply trying to mislead the honourable house. He indicated that the NDC official was apprised of the situation at an earlier meeting of Finance
Committee.

“Not one cent of government’s money will be paid. It is totally false and misleading .The member cannot stand in this honourable house and make false and erroraneous statements. He must verify it. I am saying not one cent of government money has been paid to this case.

When pressed by the speaker to retract the claim, following the protest by the government ministers, Burke still held firm to his statement. “My belief remains the same. I still believe and will hold on to that”, the shadow Finance Minister of the NDC said.

The Ministry of Legal Affairs has admitted that government is supporting Energy Minister the Hon Gregory Bowen in the pending case with Manager/Owner of Grynberg Petroleum Company Jack Grynberg in England. It also said that it is not lending any assistance to the Advisor to the Cabinet in the case against the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.