ST. GEORGE, GRENADA, DEC. 7^TH, 2018, GIS – Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Dr. Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell is alarmed and saddened by an attack on the “the hardworking and patriotic public servants of the Ministry of Finance,” by Senator and Head of the Trades Union Council, Mr. Andre Lewis.

In his Budget Debate Presentation in the Upper House, Senator Lewis suggested that the figures presented by the Ministry of Finance were somehow not a true reflection to guide the Government and Unions’ negotiations over Gratuity payments.

In commenting on Mr. Lewis’ remarks, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell said it was “irresponsible, unfair, baseless and inflammatory” and that Senator Lewis showed utter disregard for the diligent staff of the Ministry, who are also represented by the Trade Union Movement, and are therefore constituents of the same Trade Union Leader who is attacking their ethics.

The suggestion, therefore, that the staff of Finance was not forthright with the information and advice presented to the Pension Engagement Committee is wholly unfortunate, and the Finance Minister wishes to register his disappointment over the Trade Union Leader’s callous disregard of his own workers, who, Dr. Mitchell describes as “among the best workers in the Public Service, consistently going above and beyond their remit.”

In fact, according to Dr. Mitchell, the same staff was responsible for preparing one of the most solid and comprehensive Budgets that this nation has seen—the 2019 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure—which was delivered in the Lower House on November 21, 2018.

The Finance Minister wishes to place on record that he has total confidence in the information provided by the staff of the Ministry of Finance and he continues to commend them for their commitment to Grenada’s development.