Something stinks in the Spice Isle of Grenada, which is quite extraordinary considering that it’s one of the world’s leading producers of exotic nutmeg, clove, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger.
But this stench stems entirely from the alleged political and financial machinations of its prime minister, Dr Keith Claudius Mitchell. (Indeed, that is his name. And even Shakespeare could not have written a more tragic farce than the tangled web Mitchell seems to have woven himself into.)
Dr Mitchell has fought battles with just about everyone in the country including lawyers, teachers, religious leaders, bus drivers and calypsonians among others….and he is not showing any signs of being battle weary….[Editorial, Grenada Today, 28 July 2007]
His latest battle, however, reeks of desperation far more than it smacks of his predilection for picking fights. And nothing betrays this fact quite like his attempt to cast himself as a victim in a case where he may prove to be the perpetrator of an egregious (constitutional) fraud.
Because last Thursday, Dr Mitchell filed a defamation lawsuit against Grenadian lawyer and fellow columnist Lloyd Noel. And in it he alleges that Noel libeled him – by insinuating in a recent article published by Caribbean Net News (CNN) that he is a citizen of the United States. But Noel maintains that he got the information from an unimpeachable source at the Department of US Homeland Security.
Meanwhile, given the axiom that “the best defense is a good offense”, the following suggests Dr Mitchell’s motivation for filing this lawsuit as surely as indicates why he has just cause to be so desperate:
The issue [of Mitchell’s citizenship] raised its ugly head in the pleadings filed in the New York case by the Boston businessman, against Dr Mitchell, his wife and Resteiner [a reputed con man], in which the claimant [Charles Howland of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts] is seeking to recover one million US dollars allegedly paid by Resteiner to Dr Mitchell for a diplomatic posting. [Lloyd Noel]
Dr Mitchell faces a far more doubtful prospect, however, when it comes to the question of his citizenship. And, the gamble he’s taking by filing this lawsuit may plunge Grenada into a constitutional crisis that harkens back to one of its coups d’état or the invasion by US forces in 1983.
Of course, Dr Mitchell would have to be not only congenitally bellicose, but also positively suicidal to file this lawsuit knowing full well that he IS a US citizen. Therefore, since Noel claims that “the certificate that evidences the prime minister’s registration as a US citizen has been published”, the only legal issue is whether or not Dr Mitchell effectively renounced it before being sworn in as Grenada’s prime minister in 1995.
And, in this respect, pursuant to Section 349(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the burden is on him to prove that he:
1. Appeared in person before a US consular or diplomatic officer to renounce his citizenship;
2. Appeared in a foreign country (at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate); and
3. Signed an oath of renunciation.
Otherwise, this battle will end with him being hoisted by his own petard (i.e. having to resign or being impeached).
But even if Dr Mitchell properly renounced his US citizenship, Noel has such cognizable legal defenses that this case would still amount to nothing more than a spiteful and self-indulgent waste of the time and resources of Grenada’s Attorney General. Moreover, it is self-evident that Noel wrote, and CNN published, the article in good faith – with an entirely reasonable belief in the truth of the allegedly libelous statement.
Therefore, I urge Dr Mitchell to honour his office by publicly addressing the clearly suspicious circumstances of his US citizenship forthwith – instead of dishonoring it by pursuing this uncivil action. After all, Grenadians are the ones who are most aggrieved. And, like any good statesman, he should be eager to do anything to alleviate the extreme national distress this matter has already inflicted upon his people.
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Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, Grenada
Anonymous says
He Keith Mitchell has regularly wasted lawyers and public monies on taking out frivolous lawsuits against various persons. He knows he is not taken seriously and frequently acts as a despot against “any persons, organisations, media” to quell and intimidate any form of open questioning of his wrong and misjudged decisions. Grenadians on the whole are a peaceful nation and it is this that allows Keith Mitchell to behave in the manner in which has become the norm. That he is in Charge, Boss and never wrong. Grenadians pray that they will be rid of this leader but also realise that many groups and organisations enjoy him remaining in power because of the nepotic nature of Grenadian political, economic and social life. It is hard to live in an island of less than 80,000 way there is limited employment opportunities if you are known to voice descent against the New National Party and their wayward leader which is Keith Mitchell. As Keith Mitchell and his cronies frequently are known to humbug life similar to Gairy but without the violence (YET).
Again with his recent launch of lawsuits Grenadians do ask why was our tax paying money used for such a lawsuit? Why does Keith Mitchell attempt to remain so petty? With all Grenada’s problem why is such a supposedly “Sensible and decent Prime Minister of Grenada” wasting our time on “stupidness” Grenada has much more important issues to deal with. All these imbecile lawsuits are again bringing Grenada as a nation to the public world for foolishness. Many of us are fed up.
Anonymous says
He writes like he got his education from an off-shore University for profit. His writing is horrible for a man who feels he is in a position to criticize. Besides that, we Grenadians should not be so quick to act so impressed because another Negro with a few AA gotten credentials attacks our prime minister in an area that the most unknowledgeable Grenadian knows better than he will in his lifetime. He must be desperate for recognition for a man with those credentials to go after the prime minister of a struggling developing island. Nothing else could explain the reason for him taking the time to tell the world recycled unproven scandalous gossip spread by local traitors.
Annie Nomous says
Dear Anonymous II
It’s unfortunate that you have failed to give your point of view about a different aspect of the question. Next time concentrate a bit more about the subject itself, and a bit less on soiling a person you very obviously don’t like. Because the only vision your words spiced with insults manage to evoke to me is a little heap on the sidewalk :-)
Annie Nomous says
Dear Anonymous II
It’s unfortunate that you have failed to give your point of view about a different aspect of the question. Next time concentrate a bit more about the subject itself, and a bit less on merely smearing a person with names – Lloyd Noel – who you very obviously don’t like. Because the only vision your words spiced with insults manage to evoke to me is a little heap on the sidewalk :-)
Anonymous says
The Cronies of NNP and Keith Mitch HELLS Party are out on the board the fleas are everywhere in this comment thread. Welcome to the world of Grenadian petty politics with the NNP supporters spraying their acid for the world to see. Just get some Baygon and spray them.
Anonymous says
The Cronies of NNP and Keith Mitch HELLS Party are out on the board the fleas are everywhere in this comment thread. Welcome to the world of Grenadian petty politics with the NNP supporters spraying their acid for the world to see. Just get some Baygon and spray them.
We have had more than enough Bains stop shaming our nation by justifying the nonsence.
Anonymous says
Very interesting article indeed. I have read the ‘journalistic garbage’ and I have failed to grasp any substantive argument. It is certainly lacking in conviction and the author shamelessly and pathetically tried to soil the good name of the Prime Minister without offering any concrete proof that the ‘scandalous rumors’ are actually rooted in facts.
Again, just to point out the inherent prejudice in the article, Lloyd Noel is well within his rights to make those statements about the PM which has serious implications but the Prime Minister is out of place when he takes legal action (uncivil action) to defend his good name and reputation. How dumb can some people be? Maybe the righter knows something about the legal system that we Grenadians do not know. Why is it ‘uncivil’ to bring a matter before the court?
If the PM is a US citizen as Noel alleges, wouldn’t all that come out in court?
When you wish to write your trash, do it independently and be man/woman enough to use your name and don’t give the readers the remotest idea that this reflects the sentiments of Grenadians. You will give people the spurious notion that we are dumb.
Anonymous says
Let me just make this correction to the comments I made above:
Maybe the writer knows….(L11)
kriss says
Forgive me for sounding confused but this matter could be dealth with very simply. The accusers need to prove that the citizenship exists, once this is done, then the PM can tell us when and where he gave it up. Why is the Grenadian public being subjected to more litigation expenses and even more stupidness by the actions presently being taken?