US confirms former PM Mitchell not a citizen

~~Adz:Left~~ ST. GEORGES, Grenada-THE US State Department has confirmed that its records show former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell relinquished his citizenship as of June 20, 1995, thus partially putting to rest controversy surrounding his right to serve as a Minister of Parliament.

Mitchell had recently come under fire from the current government after Attorney General James Bristol received a letter from the US State Department indicating the former PM held a dual citizenship in Grenada and the United States. 

While speaking with the Grenada Broadcasting Network, one US official said that the initial letter to Bristol stating that Mitchell was indeed a citizen of the US and had been since 1984, had resulted from a “miscommunication” because of the “bureaucracy in the system”. 

Had Mitchell been found to hold a dual citizenship anywhere other than Commonwealth countries, he would have been subject to losing his seat in Parliament as outlined in Grenada’s constitution.

The offices of Mitchell’s New National Party were quick to capitalize on the announcement saying that it shows “the present government appears to be more concerned about [Mitchell] than the development of our Grenadian people and our beloved country”.

Tillman’s National Democratic Congress, however, did not view the news as a complete exoneration of Mitchell.

“The result of this is that the people of Grenada are finally aware of the true status of Keith Mitchell’s citizenship and that his election to the House of Representatives from 1984 up to the elections in June 1995 were in breach of section 31 of the Grenada constitution.

“Indeed his first stint as Prime Minister, from June of 1995, is also tainted with illegality, as at the time of that election, he was a citizen of the United States of America,” a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated.