After two weeks of public utterance over the breaking news of “cell phone gate” and the public admittance from one user; the country’s main opposition party says it wants specific action.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) made a bold call for the resignation of two government ministers, including Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Dr. Keith Mitchell.
All this follows the “cell phone gate” scandal involving former public officers, who continued to utilize government’s cell phones after demitting office.
During a press conference earlier today Interim Political Leader of the NDC, Joseph Andall, outlined the NDC’s position on the issue.
“We believe that the Minister of Communication and Works as well as the Minister of Finance have a direct responsibility, they should not be allowed to duck their responsibility and to pass the buck to civil servants who they have cowed over the years by the attitude of victimization. They should step aside at least until any investigation is completed. We believe also that any evidence of fraud, of criminal conduct, that such conduct should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and that anyone found guilty should be debarred from holding public office in Grenada in the future.”
The NDC interim leader, citing a number of governments promised investigations over the years, says the party has no confidence in government led investigations.
Andall said that the line between the NNP and the government has been seriously blurred over the years.
“The National Democratic Congress calls on the Governor General of Grenada to initiate an investigation into the scandal or any others, based on the commission of inquiry act, which grants her the power to name a commission to conduct said inquiry. We believe and we propose that the members of that commission must be drawn from the Grenada Bar Association, the Trades Union Council, The Chamber of Commerce and Grenada Conference of Churches. Why? We have no faith in some of the institutions given the politically incestuous nature of them. Therefore we believe any inquiry carried out by the Cabinet of Grenada will be a farce. We have evidence of that.”
NDC’s Phillip Alexander is calling for an investigation into the “cell phone gate” scandal separate and apart from Government’s planned investigation.
“The Governor General, the Director of Public Prosecution, The Commissioner of Police as custodians of the state, we urge you to act and act decisively.”
The NDC believes that government should not be allowed to shun their responsibility by repeatedly blaming public officers.
Hard Talk host, Sheldon Scott a former senator admitted on Monday that he is willing to repay government for the exorbitant cellphone bill.
Reports are that the former government employee racked up an almost $70,000 phone bill between April and June and up until last week, was still on the NNP administration’s cell phone plan.
Government has since said it has taken steps to remove people no longer eligible for inclusion on its cellphone plan.
