It is an accepted truth that corruption is damaging to the reputation of a country. It negatively affects direct local and foreign investment, thereby stultifying economic growth and sustainable development.
Corruption undermines democratic institutions, justice and the rule of law. Perhaps the most damaging aspect of corruption is that it hurts the poor and vulnerable more than any other sector of the economy. When our most vulnerable people are made to depend on corrupt politicians for economic and social support that should be delivered in an impartial, non-partisan way by government, then they become beholden to these politicians and feel that they must keep them in power. A vicious cycle of poverty and rampant corruption continues.
It is no secret that Mitchell’s long-lasting legacy will be that of corruption, which seems to follow him everywhere and bringing the country into disrepute. His legacy will also be one of being very efficient at winning elections but dismal at good, responsible, accountable, transparent government. He will be notoriously remembered for literally selling us out. From our prized real estate such as the Mt Hartman, Levera, Lagoon and Grand Anse Beach (Radisson) properties; to our oil and gas resources and our good name with the fiasco that was the offshore banking sector; and our birthright in the sale of our prized passports to conmen and fraudsters.
In 2001, we lost our special status of visa-free travel to Canada. This was as a direct consequence of the then Keith Mitchell government insisting on pursuing an Economic Citizenship Programme (much like the CBI), despite repeated warnings from the Canadians that undesirables were showing up at their borders with Grenadian passports. Criminals like Van Brink, Vicktor Kosyni and Eric Restiener ended up holding diplomatic Grenadian passports. Our reputation and financial services sector never recovered from that onslaught. Here we are again in 2019, embroiled in another international passport scandal.
Just before the 2018 elections, the organic shrimp farm project was launched in Victoria, St Mark amid much fanfare. In a sick twist of fate, it was to be located on the identical spot as the ill-fated chicken farm which did not produce a feather, despite US$6.9 million disappearing between 2003 and 2004. Grenadian taxpayers had to repay that money as it was a government-guaranteed loan.
Based on the information we now have, we know that it was not a genuine launch but “a big rah rah” because the elections were coming and government needed to announce something big. That is what Leo Ford, one of the men behind the project admitted in the Al Jazeera report. It seems to us in the NDC that this project was a sham all along. The many grandiose promises associated with the shrimp farm were never going to materialise, and the investors probably knew that from the beginning. The website for the farm promised 400 jobs but in the report, Leo Ford said it was going to be just 100.
Prime Minister Mitchell asked us to trust him on this one. He said these were good, legitimate people and that he too was an investor. He said this to encourage people to believe him, and they did especially since this was a CBI project and he is the CBI Minister. He is responsible for ensuring that crooks don’t end up with our passports or ruin our country’s reputation. Now it turns out, again, he has breached the people’s trust. According to the Al Jazeera report, someone has disappeared with US$18 million of investors’ money.
Our country’s reputation is not only dragged in the mud once more, but these investors can very well sue our government for their monies and once more, the taxpayers of this country will have to pay.
In February of this year, Mitchell promised an inquiry into this fiasco. Since then, we’ve heard absolutely nothing about this. We still do not know who the investigators are, if they did any work and what their findings were. This state of affairs is just untenable. Government must be accountable to the people. That is what good governance is all about.
Mitchell must remember that in the OECS and the wider Caribbean, Grenada has always been a leader. Mitchell is now a regional political elder who the younger Caribbean leaders will look to, especially given his success rate at the polls. Is this the kind of leadership we want to emulate to our Caribbean people? No wonder so many of the other younger leaders in the Eastern Caribbean are now being labelled as corrupt. They are emulating Mitchell!
The NDC calls on the Government of Grenada to conduct a public, transparent inquiry into this matter and to make all the findings available to the people. We must know who, if any, of our government and public officials were involved in what now looks like a scam. We must know, who among the principals are out there with our passports.
Finally, the NDC appreciates that there are many countries of the world that run clean, transparent CBI programmes. In fact, when we left office, we were in the process of engaging the same company that helps the Canadian government with their programme. Canada has one of the best and most respected programmes in the world. No country can run a proper CBI programme if the officials are corrupt.
NDC, therefore, demands that there be substantial changes to the CBI law now! These must include:
- Making it a criminal offence, punishable by long jail time, to sell diplomatic passports.
- Making it mandatory for the names, addresses and countries of origin of all persons and their dependents applying for and obtaining CBI status to be published. Re-enact section 15(3)(b) of the CBI law.
- Making it illegal for government officials to invest in CBI approved projects. That is a clear conflict of interest.
- Requiring stringent due diligence that is not influenced by government officials.
- Removing some of the powers of the Minister into the hands of independent, qualified personnel.
- Barring persons acquiring CBI status from being able to vote at elections.
I disagree with #6 of NDC demands because as a citizen under the constitution you’re entitle to vote in elections. In the post you talked about Canada having the best CBI program in the world. Take another look at Canada’s program because it includes voting rights.
My name is Trevor David, I am the original proponent and architect of the Grenada Economic Citizenship Program. I proposed CBI Program based on Canada,’s CBI Program in 1996 to then Government of Grenada . So NDC is about 25 years to late. Not only did I proposed the program I paid $CAN30,000 to top Toronto Bay Street immigration awyers to scope out all the verbiage and documents and applications forms required and submitted a turnkey CBI Program to GIDC and ALL relevant authorities and stakeholders in Grenada . My CBI Program proposal was submitted with my then proposed partner Henley Partners. It’s nice to see that some 20 plus years later the present government has decided that Henley Partners is the group to work with. Can you imagine if then government had taken my visionary advice and partnered with me and Henley Partners 25 years ago? Can you imagine the extra $billions they would have generated for the treasury? Not to mention the jobs.
Oh well All the NNP and NDC big boys in Grenada know me and they ALL know the rest of the story. They may not admit it but they ALL know the genius of Trevor David . Lets say Many of them made big money of my “intellectual properties” . I have remained silent for past 15 years. I did not come here to rehash the past or point fingers. But when I read that NDC was planning to implement a CBI Program modeled on Canada’s I just have to call them on this hogwash. Frankly my beef with NDC is you guys have ZERO credibility as the so-called opposition.
I see Tillman Thomas whining about how bad Keith Mitchell is but when he was PM and had the ĺopportunity to meet with me the Man whom he knew developed and submitted the original Canada modeled CBI Program to then Goverment of Grenada he refused to give me an audiience when him and his team visited Toronto on his victory tour. As a matter of fact he declined to meet with me and business associate who was Former Chief Counsel of Bank of Nova Scotia. A man vetted by his own Consul General in Toronto. You may ask yourself why in Gods name would Tillman do something so petty and crazy if he was serious about exploring All opportunities to create jobs and business opportunities for the People of Grenada. WELL ONLY GOD KNOWS WHY THE GENIUS THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA TO personally meet with every idiot that ask for a meeting that day. Every one except one of the most brilliant and innovative economic development visionary and “Son of the Soil” that Grenada,Carriacou & PM has given birth to. I was introduced to him once before I really dont know the man and most importantly I have never done any thing to de man?? . I thought to myself this is MINDBOGGLING IDIOCY AND PETTINESS. WHAT KIND OF LEADER IS DAT?? WHA YOU FRAID ME OH WHA?
Like Ray’s of the sun if you look upon me you will go blind oh wha?
Ask well respected Grenadian journalist Lincoln Depradine if all you think I am lying. We sat in the lobby of the hotel as one jackass after another was given an audience with genius TILLMAN except Trevor David the man himself. He came out the meeting that day and walked by me like he did not know me. Now 10 years later we are hearing that at the end of his term he and his merry band of “sorcerers apprentices” was planning on implementing a ” Canada centric” CBI Program.
This is all laughable horse feathers.
Love him or hate him.. I have come to the realization that here is a reason PM KEITH MITCHELL keeps handing NDC there head on a platter. He gets stuff done and he will engage even those he dont see eye to eye with to get shit done. It’s called LEADERSHIP. Something Tillman Thomas and his acolytes have yet to learn.
Let’s hope they do because as the PM himself has stated he welcomes opposition vis-a- vis the Hon. Tobias Clement. All democracies worth its salt has to have strong and credible opposition. Not opposition for the sake of opposition, but intelligent principled opposition that provides coherent policy prescriptions coupled with an alternative vision for the people and path ahead. As long as NDC keeps trotting out clowns like Tillman to speak on matters concerning policy or direction for the nation they are doomed.
This might sound naive but I truly believe One must seek political power to genuinely try and do Good for the people and to uplift the nation. Not power for power sake. The people will see thru the charlatans and phonies very quickly and you will pay a heavy political price. They would rather have a man who is a little bit of a rogue but who loves his people than a phony baloney squirell looking for a nut. You will be wandering in the political wilderness for a long time if the people come to the conclusion that you trying to play them.
OUR PEOPLE AND NATION DESERVES BETTER.
Political Corruption seems to be the name of the game globally… be wary of foreign investors.. they will be your ‘owners’ when you cannot repay… Pay attention to what’s happening in Africa..for example