CATEGORY:COMMENTARY
-------------------------


By Lloyd Noel(Attorney-at-law)
Inside Grenada correspondent
Thursday December 21,2006


WHILE CAROLS and Parang composers and singers, have been beseeching us all to put “Christ” back in Christmas - our politicians seem to have been doing
their utmost, not only to provide ready-made lyrics for parang singers, but to put more and more scandalous behaviour and very questionable actions and omissions in the public pipeline for speculation and discussion during the festive season.

In the majority of homes Island wide, and in every rum shop or side street bars up and down the Country-side - I am sure the topics will be, “The Brief Case $500,000.00 U.S. from Switzerland,” and “The Grynberg/Russian $2.5 Million U.S. for our Oil and Gas exploration contract” for Xmas.

But before going down that road, I think it is more than fitting to take a look at the results of the St. Lucia General Elections last week Monday.
Last week I was looking at the “Wind of change” that was blowing in our lands in the public domain, and the results in St. Lucia very clearly and
emphatically brought home my point for changing times.

Sir John Compton, at Eight-one (81) years “young,” who had handed over the reins of control of the party he founded in 1964, to a younger man in 1996 -
came out of voluntary retirement last year, to take back the control of his party (UWP), and also the reins of power of the Government of St. Lucia, by
a resounding vote of confidence of Eleven (11) Seats to Six (6)Seats for Dr. Kenny Anthony, the outgoing Prime Minister.

Whatever messages those results maybe sending to other Regional Leaders, including our own in Grenada, are left to be seen with the passage of time, and the changes in attitudes, and responsibilities, and accountability, that those results may bring about for the benefits of our people.

But in addition thereto, knowledgeable observers are already predicting - that the coming back of Sir John into the political arena, at this point in
time especially, could have far-reaching and in-depth consequences and repercussions, on our Regional and International dealings on many fronts.

And two “fronts” that come immediately to mind, are the “CSME/CCJ” and the “Petro-Caribe” deal with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez - and in a more general
sense, the CARICOM’s flirtation with Hugo Chavez and Castro’s Cuba, in preference to the Administration in Washington D.C. and the U.S.A.

In addition to the above wider Regional position, the sub-regional OECS block will also be subject to his presence - because his St. Lucia Banana
producers are looking to his second coming to bring some desperate relief to their plight; and to do that, the “Wiser older head” will surely better
understand and appreciate - that the big talk and bravado statements about so-called Independence, cannot win friends nor influence important Social
and needed Economic partners on the Mainland to the North. It is not the Leader’s inflated ego that matters, but bread and butter necessities, and
sustainable Economic salvation for his people.

CWC2007 major Regional interest, and great expectations for Economic long-term development notwithstanding - the re-entry of the tried and
trusted older Head in control in Castries, may very well make a significant difference to the road map ahead for the Region and or the sub-Region.
Time and the un-folding events will surely tell.

But to go back to the political melee, and mounting accusations and direct fingers-pointing at our politicians during this year especially; they all
leave one to wonder at the frequency of the complaints, and the audacity of those accused to go around and behave as though nothing is happening.
I cannot subscribe to the theory, or the philosophy of some politicians in Trinidad and Tobago, that politics have its own kind of ethical and moral
standards or behaviour.

But I do accept that politicians speak like “two-tongue” Bobbies. They say one thing while in opposition, and a quite different thing when in control of the reins of power. And generally, those in opposition - as it is their function to demonstrate - they go to way-out lengths to question the power-brokers, and accuse them of lack of accountability on matters of public concern, whether of major importance or apparently trivial.

And there is nothing wrong with that, because those in control must never be allowed to become so very complacent - that they take the people and the
people’s business for granted, and in so doing fail to honour the trust and confidence imposed upon them, both by the people’s vote and the oath of
office they swore to on the Bible.

In that context and against that background, can it be said that the Opposition Leader’s approach to the Governor General, Sir Daniel Williams, Q.C., was in anyway frivolous or vexatious, because he asked the Governor General to take steps to re-open the One-man Commission of Inquiry he had himself appointed - into the allegations surrounding the Prime Minister and the Brief Case with $500,000.00 U.S. received from Resteiner?

And the approach and request must also be viewed from the basis of the very Commissioner’s answers and disclosures, to Mr. David Marchant of the
Offshore Alert publication, arising from the revelation that Resteiner had disclosed the “Video Tape” to the U.S. Authorities, in his Fraud Charges, to try and get a lesser sentence for his guilty pleas.

Now the Governor General, a Barrister-at-Law and a Q.C., was also a politician and Cabinet Minister in Government. He, therefore, must understand the essential need for transparency and accountability by those entrusted with the people’s confidence. He must know, that Credibility and Trust-worthiness of those in public office, including himself, are of far greater importance than political propaganda
and empty and un-supported denials by those in authority.

The Grenadian people as a whole, now look forward to see how he will deal with the approach from the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition - which he
represents.

And in furtherance of Mr. Reynold Benjamin’s open letter the week before the last, he has since written a personal letter to Mr. Gregory Bowen - as
Minister of Energy and all the other areas under his control.

The letter is demanding public answers, to very serious questions about our Gas and Oil resources, which fall under the portfolio of Hon. Gregory Bowen.

Mr. Benjamin is a Deputy Political Leader of the GULP, so he has a vital interest in the assets of the Country, on behalf of his Party members and
Grenadians as a whole.

It cannot therefore be said, that he is a busy-body minding Mr. Bowen’s personal business. On the contrary, he has legitimate concerns as a Grenadian, and Mr. Bowen has a duty and responsibility to respond.

But whether he does so or not - the letter to him discloses names and figures of cash, and above all else the date of an Agreement with Russian
Nationals. Are all these figments of Mr. Benjamin’s imagination?

Just to remind those to whom it may concern- the documents that passed between the Minister of Government and the Civil Servants at the time, and
Jack Grynberg and his Petroleum Company, between 1995 and 2005 - were all exchanged in private (in the dark) but they all came to light in 2006.

I have said that, to say this, be very careful that - like the famous Video Tape from St. Moritz in Switzerland, made by Timothy Bass on instructions
from con-man Resteiner - the Agreement of 28th September, 2005, does not also come to night, sooner or later.

So to behave like the Apostle Peter, when challenged about his knowledge of and association with the man Jesus - who was then about to be condemned and
crucified - and to keep saying “I don’t know the men,” I had no dealings with any of them, these stories are all manufactured,” and so on and so
forth to every question, will not be the end of the matter.

The documentary evidence may show you up in a different light; and since we are here concerned about the people and their Government, and you should be concerned about your Cabinet Colleagues - who must have had some input, and are also responsible by virtue of the doctrine of collective responsibility - you also owe them a duty to come clean.

This has been an eventful year on many fronts, but the happenings, and lack of control and accountability of the people’s finances, have been
extra-ordinary and we seem to be ending the year on the same note.

The Budget was read last Friday in Parliament, but the State of the Economy is such that not many people paid any attention to what was said by the
Minister. It will be looked at in due course.

But whatever is the situation in the public affairs of the Government and the State - the season in celebration of the coming of Christ more than Two
Thousand years ago, is going ahead - if even the majority of the people really have nothing to celebrate with, in terms of the goodies and niceties
at this time of year.

All I can do is wish you all who read this Article, the Savior’s richest Blessings for peace and good health, and the sincere hope that next year
will bring some relief from the short comings suffered this year.