A recent news item on one of the nation’s television platforms has further convinced THE NEW TODAY that former Prime Minister Keith Mitchell is continuing to do more harm than good to the New National Party (NNP).
In the broadcast, Keith Mitchell as a former Minister of National Security was attacking the officers of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) especially the members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for poor work performance.
The ex-Grenadian leader was critical of the Police Force for what he said was their failure to solve two deaths in the country – former Senator Neilon Franklyn and Jonty Richardson, a member of the LGBT community on the island.
Two years have already passed since the Police arrested an individual for the death of “Jonty” and initially charged him with the offence of Murder.
A further review of the case by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) resulted in the charge being reduced to Manslaughter.
This is public knowledge but Keith Mitchell is continuing to peddle the “lie” and “propaganda” that the murderer of “Jonty” is still-at-large.
Those of us who have been following political developments in the country over the years know that the former Political Leader of NNP has been trying to point fingers in the direction of a major figure in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the culprit involved in the murder.
This is dangerous as Keith Mitchell is implying that the CID officers are arresting the wrong persons for criminal offences and by extension compromising the Office of the DPP.
Several of the officers including the current head of the CID served under the NNP administration which was voted out of office in 2022.
THE NEW TODAY is also calling on current Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell not to accept the offer being extended by Keith Mitchell to meet with him to get advice on issues of National Security on the grounds that he had a lot to share with him.
The track record of Keith Mitchell in office especially in the area of National Security is ugly and terrible.
The nation should never forget that as Minister of National Security Keith Mitchell called in the then Chief Magistrate Patricia Mark to instruct her to go up to the Grenville Magistrate Court and take over the case involving Opposition Leader Michael Baptiste and fast-track it to the High Court.
The Chief Magistrate declined and was chased out of office. Is that what Keith Mitchell wants to offer advice on to Dickon Mitchell?
The nation can recall that as Minister of National Security the RGPF under his watch had charged convicted drug lord Diego Peters from La Potrie with possession of ganja.
There was a complaint from Diego who was the key NNP political operative in this village in St Andrew North-east that he knew nothing about the illegal drugs and that the Police had planted it.
A senior police officer, Michael Francois was given instructions to investigate the claim made by Diego and the end result – the case was dropped.
It should be noted that the same Francois who eventually reached the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police was also the same Police Officer who was hand-picked to lead the “briefcase” investigation which exonerated Keith Mitchell from allegations that he had accepted a bribe of US$500, 000.00 from imprisoned fraudster Eric Resteiner in exchange for a diplomatic passport and posting as a representative of Grenada.
PM Dickon Mitchell should stay as far away as possible from Keith Mitchell in order to continue to smell as sweet as a rose.
Does Keith Mitchell want to advise Dickon Mitchell to set up his own Special Branch within the Police Force?
Former Commissioner of Police Winston James admitted that the then head of Special Branch Anthony DeGale did not report to him.
It was the same Supt DeGale who formed a human shield around Keith Mitchell to prevent Bailiff Terry Registe from serving him with Court documents in connection with the Resteiner affair.
It is recorded history that the late NNP Foreign Minister Dr. Raphael Fletcher reminded us that Keith Mitchell often used to swear in the Cabinet Room against High Court judge Justice Brian Alleyne whenever he delivered a ruling against government.
It should not also be forgotten that Dr. Francis Alexis, KC and others had to intervene in a matter involving another high court judge Justice Davidson Baptiste who was treated with disdain after he handed down a ruling which angered Keith Mitchell and his government.
The NNP is failing to realise that as long as Keith Mitchell is seen as the face and spearheading its attack against Congress in the upcoming general election that he is making the road much easier for Dickon Mitchell to remain as Prime Minister of the country.
And two of the longstanding lawyers in the county with close ties to the NNP – former Attorney General Dr Lawrence Joseph and former Solicitor-General Dwight Horsford – should see the need to have a sit down with Keith Mitchell to get him to stop bringing the Judiciary and the Police Force into disrepute over his unfounded allegations.