Cellphonegate has become the biggest scandal to rock the Keith Mitchell-led New National Party (NNP) government since its return to power in 2013.
There is no other single incident that has surfaced in recent years to have left the government so embarrassed and exposed as some of its most clearly identifiable political activists have been caught along with others openly cheating from the public purse.
As an experienced politician, Prime Minister Mitchell has sought to hit back by trying to play the blame sharing card as his ace against public officers and the telecommunications provider, Digicel.
It was a miscalculation on the part of the Prime Minister as the counter attack which took place in Canada has backfired on him badly as the video of the less than honest speech was brought back to Grenada in lightening speed through the Social Media platform.
Dr. Mitchell could have gotten away with a number of those unfortunate statements made in Canada because Grenadians living in the Diaspora might be ignorant of a number of pertinent local issues.
But at home the following statement that came from the lips of the Prime Minister in Canada had Grenadians at home in consternation: “…I keep telling public servants, you have a responsibility, if you see a minister doing something, even if it’s the Prime Minister to stop it. Expose him or her. Don’t be afraid, they can’t touch you. No politician can do you anything for doing your work in protecting the taxpayers because he would be a dead politician when it goes out there.”
Does our Prime Minister really believe what he said? Can he look at a number of former senior public officers and repeat same in their face – Richard Duncan, Brian Francis, Nolan Murray, Garvey Louison, Paul Graham, Gemma Bain-Thomas, Willan Thompson, Basil Harford, Julia Lawrecne and many others?
The statement might have been intended to get Grenadians at home to be talking about these ex-civil servants as a distraction and not about Cellphonegate and those caught in the scandal especially the NNP’s chief political propagandist in the media, former Senator Sheldon Scott.
If it was an attempt to shift the goal post it did not work and failed badly before it even started.
Who really discovered Cellphonegate – Prime Minister Mitchell or political activist, Kem Jones.
If it was Dr. Mitchell who did as he told Grenadians in Canada then did he give it to Kem Jones to embarrass some people including Sheldon Scott?
The all important question is still in the air – How long has Sheldon Scott’s bill been paid by the taxpayers of the country through the Government of Grenada after he was removed from the Senate by the Prime Minister.
It should be noted that in three months alone the State was illegally paying EC$70, 000.00 to Digicel for the Mobile phone of Mr. Scott.
It is quite obvious that the amount of money owed to government by the former Senator is significant and could run well over half-a-million dollars.
An inquiry is needed to determine whether a memo was circulated by the Prime Minister and company within the public service to announce that Sheldon Scott is no longer a member of the Senate and his status has changed.
If it was done then the logical question should be asked – how come Mr. Scott’s cellphone bill is still being paid by government after he left the public service as a member of the Political Directorate?
How come Sheldon Scott’s name remained on the list even after multiple budget consultations and presentations by Prime Minister Mitchell who is also the Minister of Finance? Did someone give instructions to have his name remain on the list even after he was removed from the Senate?
Cellphonegate will also attract the attention of teachers and public officers who are at loggerheads with the Mitchell-led government on the 25% stand-off on pension and gratuity payment.
The government has often pointed to problems in finding the required fiscal space to honour such an undertaking with its employees.
All public officers are right to ask the following questions: How come teachers and civil servants can’t be paid their 25% pension and gratuity but Sheldon Scott’s excessive phone bills are being paid? Is the government paying excessively high phone bills of other NNP political activists rather than buying medication for the health facilities on the island?
Was Sheldon Scott still being paid travelling allowance and other benefits from state coffers after he was removed from the Senate?
There is already some kind of a hint from government that it is not inclined to set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into Cellphonegate.
The Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister announced at Tuesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing that the culprits will be asked to pay back the money.
The National Democratic Congress should get its two Opposition Senators in the upper House to take steps to get at the phone bills of Sheldon Scott and in fact all of the Ministers, and other Members of Parliament for the last 3 years from the Permanent Secretaries in both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Works.
THE NEW TODAY is fearful that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that Cellphonegate could turn out to be much larger than it is at the moment if the right questions and proper investigation is done.