St. George’s, May 30, 2012 – The parliamentary opposition New National Party (NNP) is not satisfied with answers provided thus far by Tillman Thomas, the Prime Minister and leader of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), on the transfer of funds to Grenada from a Saudi Arabian donor.
Thomas has been “skirting around the issue’’ and his answers have been “evasive,’’ the opposition has charged.
“The honourable prime minister has a fiduciary responsibility to come clean with the Grenadian people,’’ NNP’s Terry Forrester told local journalists.
Forrester and NNP’s public relations officer, Winston Garraway, convened a news conference Tuesday to address the party’s concern over what the opposition says is a US$150,000 wire transfer from a Saudi donor to the personal bank account of a “very top, top government minister’’.
At the news conference, Forrester suggested that more than the US$150,000 “may have been convened to another destination’’ outside of Grenada.
Thomas, who initially said he was “not aware of a transaction from Saudi Arabia,’’ later remarked it was “normal’’ for political parties to receive contribution of funds.
Forrester and Garraway, who attempted to avoid reporters’ questions about cash received under questionable circumstances by NNP leader Keith Mitchell while he was prime minister, said the opposition will soon be filing a formal request with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Royal Grenada Police Force for an investigation into the Saudi transaction.
“I don’t think this transaction is quite a normal one,’’ said Forrester, NNP’s assistant campaign manager.
He said the opposition is seeking “full disclosure’’ on the transaction, including source of funds, the purpose of the funds, and the name of the person who allegedly received EC$100,000 of the US$150,000.
Dr. Mitchell has said that he has “facts’’ relating to the money transfer, but he and his party are yet to provide any documented evidence.
Forrester said the opposition is allowing time for the FIU to conduct its investigation.
If, however, the FIU probe takes too long, the NNP will present documentation and “disclose its sources,’’ Forrester said.
