by Linda Straker
- PM Mitchell and Dennis Cornwall no longer practice as local CBI agents
- No Government Gazette notice that either minister’s licence was revoked
- St Bernard, as Government advisor, continues as local CBI agent
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said that he and Dennis Cornwall, who both serve in ministerial portfolios, do not have a conflict of interest when it comes to granting citizenship under the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, because they are no longer practicing as local CBI agents although the company they were attached to, continues to function.
“I have been at pains to communicate to the CBI office repeatedly that I am not a practicing CBI agent. I am not a practicing attorney because I am unable to do so. I think the same applies to Honourable Dennis Cornwall, who holds a ministerial portfolio, so therefore, as a public servant, he cannot practice privately,” Mitchell said in an interview on Sunday’s “The Bubb Report.”
“I do not work in my law firm, nor do I work in Mitchell and Partners. I do not practice,” he said.
Explaining that he opted to recuse himself at any Cabinet meeting if an application for approval came from his former office, the Prime Minister said that from his recollection, he and Cornwall have recused themselves on at least one occasion.
“What I can certainly say to you, in my capacity as Prime Minister and former Minister of Finance, if any applications were to come to Cabinet in any way or form — because of the way CBI works, you can have an application that might have started an entire year ago but did not reach cabinet until — we certainly will have to recuse ourselves from any decision as to grant or not to grant approval in those circumstances,” he said.
A review of the approved local CBI agents shows that both names are no longer listed; however, the companies both were attached to before forming the government following the June 2022 General Election are listed. The CBI legislation provides for the names of individuals approved or revoked as local or international agents for the programme to be published in the Government Gazette, but there has been no notice that either minister’s licence was revoked.
With regards to diplomat Andrea St Bernard, a local CBI agent who was announced as the Special Envoy for Development and Investment in the office of the Prime Minister, it was explained that she is not a public servant as are the 2 ministers and as a result, she can continue to work as a CBI agent.
“Ms St Bernard is an advisor to the Government. She is not a public servant in the same capacity as myself and Minister Cornwall, and in those circumstances, her business continues,” said the Prime Minister as he justified the continued listing of her name as a local CBI agent.
Can the prime minister please take some time to look at government spending in the parish of St Patrick’s and try his atmost best in reducing the annual costs in property renting .
We have several building and land owned by the government which are being neglected but we continue to rent buildings for our police station ,fire station ,ministers etc
Can the overall rental amount be made public with the intention of reducing that figure.
De Con is finally being exposed for what he is. A lawyer. De Con was instrumental in the promotion of CBI in Grenada, and his cohorts continue to reap the financial benefit. His finance minster recently said said Grenada needs more people to generate revenue for the treasury. Well, minister, please tell us, because we are not as smart as you, how are these older going to make children, in which dilapidated health facility, and more so, where are our descendants going to live after you relentlessly promote the selling of our lands?
And it was Keith that started it all .