Public inquiry kicks off August 27

AUGUST 27 is the date for the start of the Commission of Inquiry into allegations that Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell accepted a bribe from American national Eric Resteiner to become a trade counsellor for the Grenada Government. This was revealed yesterday by Barbados’ Queen’s Counsel Dr Richard Cheltenham shortly after he was sworn in as the lone Commissioner by Governor General Sir Daniel Williams at Governor’s House, St George’s. Dr Cheltenham said the inquiry will be launched on August 27 at the Parliament Chamber at York House in St George’s.

There, he added, members of the public will be allowed to attend the inaugural sitting at which he will outline the terms of reference of the inquiry. Dr Cheltenham promised to be impartial and wants the Grenada public to give him all the assistance necessary in resolving this matter. After the first hearing, the lone Commissioner said the inquiry will then be adjourned to the end of September for the taking of evidence and the hearing of submissions. He said he will then have 30 days to complete the inquiry and present a report to the Governor General. The Commission will inquire into:

1) the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Eric Resteiner as a diplomatic representative of the State of Grenada;

2) the criteria employed and the protocol governing the appointment of non-Grenadians as representatives of the country;

3) the truth or otherwise of allegations published in the issue of the 30th day of April 2004 of the publication known as Offshore Alert in Miami in the State of Florida in the United States of America that the Prime Minister of Grenada, the Hon Dr Keith Mitchell MP, accepted the sum of US $500,000 as a bribe from one Eric Resteiner in consideration of the appointment of the said Eric Resteiner as a diplomatic representative of the State of Grenada;

4) the statement by the Prime Minister, the Hon Dr Keith Mitchell MP that he received the sum of approximately $15,000 US from one Eric Resteiner as reimbursement for expenses duly incurred by the said Prime Minister on behalf of himself and other officials of the Government of Grenada on official business of the said Government on a visit to certain European countries and Kuwait;

5) the procedures for the payment or reimbursement of the authorised expenses of Ministers of the Government and other public officials incurred in connection with official travel and other expenses incidental to and in connection therewith;

6) to identify deficiencies, if any, in the functioning of the public administration of the country as a result of the inquiry into the matters identified herein and to make recommendations for the correction of the deficiencies and for the improvement and strengthening of the system of public administration.