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Opposition Leader open letter to Prime Minister Tillman Thomas

Dear Prime Minister Thomas,

Subject: Allegations Against Hon. Nazim Burke                                             

As you are fully aware, over the last few weeks Prime Minister, a number of events have taken place involving your Cabinet Ministers and senior officials within your Party and Government that have caused major concerns and are bordering on embarrassment to the people of Grenada.  Noted among these are the pronouncements made by one of your party supporters relative to the re-establishment of relations between Grenada and the People’s Republic of China; and the fiasco surrounding the Sewang One World Group.   We are now hearing rumors of strange financial dealings by your Minister of Finance in off-shore financial activities.

It seems fitting to me to recall that your Government came to office proclaiming transparency, openness and good governance and with a drive to eliminate corruption which you considered characteristic of my administration.  As such the people of Grenada elected you to serve with such values since you claim that your team was of such virtues.  It is sad to say that present events are proving otherwise.

It also seems fitting to recall Honorable Prime Minister that the Ministry of Finance is a special Ministry of Government, requiring the finest minds and talents of our people and a leadership of integrity that is void of any semblance of wrong doing and corrupt practices, as this can jeopardize our efforts to raise resources for the economic development of our country. 

The issue of the alleged involvement of your Minister of Finance in off-shore financial activities is therefore of major concern to the people of Grenada.  It is being spoken about everywhere, and Grenadians are very much waiting to hear the truth of this matter.  As Leader of Her Majesty Opposition, I take no pride in using derogatory vocabulary to minimize the integrity of anyone, as was the case when you were in opposition.

You would recall my demand that persons desirous of serving in public office should first declare public their assets.  That is why my Government passed in Parliament the Integrity in Public Life Bill in 2008. It is significant to note that after two years in office, your government has not yet implemented the Act.  

I am fully aware of the efforts of Government’s Financial Intelligence Unit to provide further clarity of this matter; but I consider this incident to be of such magnitude and importance that the efforts of the FIU alone may not be enough to clear the Minister from these allegations, especially after top members of the FIU trained under my Government were removed and replaced by perceived political friends of your Government. 

Therefore, in an effort to avoid further embarrassment to this country and to protect the good name of Grenada regionally and internationally, I am kindly suggesting that the necessary steps be taken to allow the Minister of Finance to be vindicated from these allegations.  In this regard, I am kindly proposing the following for your objective consideration:

  • Set up a Commission of Inquiry to conduct an investigation into the allegations made against the Minister of Finance;
  • Relieve the Minister of Finance from his present position during the period of investigation so as to allow for the investigation to be carried out with fairness and impartiality.

Prime Minister, Her Majesty Opposition would be pleased to work with you in the setting up of the Commission of the Inquiry, as well as to provide any advice you may need to allow our country come out of this present malaise.   

I continue to pray for you and for the good of this Nation.

Yours Sincerely,

____________________________________

Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell MP, PC, PhD

LEADER OF HER MAJESTY’S OPPOSITION

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