ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – IN response to the government’s intended investigation of several failed projects by the previous Keith Mitchell administration, Opposition Senator Devon Rachae labelled the move “a personal witch-hunt” against the former leader.

A member of the recently ousted New National Party (NNP), Rachae condemned the motion as an attempt by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to incarcerate Mitchell. Nonetheless, the motion was passed in the Senate and a Joint Select Committee of both Houses of Parliament has been instituted to head the investigation.

Spice Grenada reports that the projects under scrutiny include the Garden Group of Companies, Emerging Technologies Limited, the Grenada Marketing and National Importing Board Depot facility and the Grenada Call Centre at Seamoon. According to the same source, millions of dollars were pumped into these organisations by the NNP; however, several of them failed to begin operation and others recorded losses.

Additionally, Mitchell has been under suspicion of accepting a US1M bribe from imprisoned fraudster Eric Resteiner in exchange for granting him diplomatic status.

Despite the allegations, Rachae remained loyal to his NNP political leader. He asserted the investigation would impose an additional burden on taxpayers and would distract the public from the economic challenges confronting the country.

The Senator lobbied for the establishment of a commission to explore the dealings of the previous NDC government. Before the motion was passed, he asked the Senate floor, “Why not a motion to ensure that this administration is accountable and that there is no wastage of resources? What is the real motive of this motion?”

Spice Grenada further states that in Mitchell’s first term in office from 1995 to 1999, the former Prime Minister initiated an inquiry to discover the whereabouts of some money missing from the Consolidated Fund. The funds were revealed to have been in a fixed deposit in a local commercial bank earning interest for the State.

Another Opposition Senator, Kennedy Roberts, joined Rachae in his resistance to the motion, calling it a waste of time and stressing that it was not in the best interest of the country. He said it was just another attack against Mitchell.