St. George’s, May 20, 2012 – The leader of the official opposition in parliament, Dr. Keith Mitchell, wants the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Royal Grenada Police Force to investigate what he suggests is a suspicious money transaction involving a “top government minister.’’

Dr. Keith Mitchell has not specifically named the local recipient of the money but alleges that Tillman Thomas, the prime minister and leader of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), “knows exactly who that person is.’’

The opposition leader, who is a former prime minister, claimed that he has “solid information of a very top, top government minister who has collected US$150,000 in his own bank account.’’ It’s the equivalent of almost EC$400,000.

“The money came from Saudi Arabia to the Republic Bank. These are facts,’’ Mitchell said at a meeting Sunday of his New National Party (NNP) in the west coast town of Gouyave, St. John.

He said a cheque for $100,000 of the money was paid to “a close political friend’’ of the NDC.

Among the functions of the FIU, which was formally established in 2003, are analysis and investigation of “matters arising from suspicious transaction reports, money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes.’’

Mitchell said Grenadian law was broken in the alleged money transaction and he is demanding the FIU’s involvement.

“The FIU is supposed to be an independent body. Show your independence,’’ Mitchell said.

The NNP meeting was one of two public political gatherings in Grenada on Sunday.

The other, in the Parish of St. Andrew, was a “thanksgiving rally’’ that Thomas said was organized in his capacity as prime minister, “as an act of appreciation for the fervent prayers and expressions of support for the government, especially in the past two weeks.’’

In the last fortnight, the NDC administration has lost its tourism and foreign ministers through resignations, and survived a parliamentary no-confidence motion that was brought against the prime minister by Mitchell.