Opposition Leader threatens to sue media

Former Grenada Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell is threatening to sue local media houses who published stories about his wife being caught with a diplomatic passport in her possession at the Maurice Bishop International Airport last month.

The warning follows a government statement accusing Mitchell`s wife, Marietta Mitchell, of failing to surrender the diplomatic passport issued to her by his administration, which was voted out of office in July 2008.

Mitchell, the current opposition leader, says at least three media houses on the island could be sued for publishing information contained in the government statement.

`We are looking at legal action against three stations who printed (published) it because it was not factual information,` said Dr. Mitchell while claiming that the release was filled with inaccuracies.
`How many times could the media get itself in trouble? I have got some money from them already for doing precisely that,` the opposition leader boasted. `Government sends you something about somebody cant you check before you put it out. That seems to be so basic to protect yourself.`

He questioned: `Why would the media keep taking government releases and putting it out without checking the facts?`

Mitchell has sued a number of media houses and journalists during his reign as prime minister and recently a lawsuit he won against a local paper pushed the publication into receivership.

However, neither Mitchell nor a statement from the New National Party which now controls four of the 15 seats in the House of Representatives, said what aspect of the government release was inaccurate.

The government release states that Mrs. Mitchell had the diplomatic passport in her possession while traveling on personal business late last month to the United States. While she was allowed to depart she gave the assurance that it would be handed over upon her return.

Following the change in administration in July last year, official notices were published requesting holders of official and diplomatic passports that were issued by the NNP administration to return them to the government.

The notices, which were placed in the Government Gazette, local electronic and print media, as well as in regional and international outlet, called on holders to return the official and diplomatic passport by August 31st 2009.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that a number of passports were returned by the deadline but based on a list that was tallied, there is evidence to prove that a number of persons have refused to return their passports. The Ministry has since submitted a list to the immigration department with a directive to confiscate these passports.