Campbell: Mitchell’s revelations will be the talk of historians

A prominent lawyer here is of the view that the interview with Sir James Mitchell, broadcast on IK tv last Sunday evening, will go down in history as one of the most remarkable interviews by any political figure.{{more}}

Parnell Campbell Q.C., who served as Attorney General under Mitchell’s New Democratic Party (NDP) administration, made his opinion known last Monday evening on his weekly television show “The Law and You”.

During the hour-long interview with Jerry George, Mitchell disclosed that bribery of politicians determined the fate of the one seat majority government in 1966/1967 and again in 1972.

Campbell said he is of the view that Mitchell’s revelations “will be the talk of historians for a long time to come.”

Sir James, who was prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for 17 years, shared how the two governments were brought down: “In 1966, I was in Labour Party, we broke up the one seat majority by bribing Sam Slater with $50,000. …In [19]74, the one seat majority that I had with [Ebenezer Theodore] Joshua and the PPP that broke up because P.H. Veira bought out Mammy and Pappy for $75,000.”

Mitchell’s relevations were made on the ‘Up Next’ television show hosted by Jerry George.

Although Campbell described what was said by the former prime minister as “absolutely astonishing”, the prominent lawyer said he accepts Sir James’ word.

“If Mr. Mitchell says that is what took place, I for one would accept his word, because Mr. Mitchell is not going to go on television and deliver an inaccuracy on a matter of such historical importance. And it is of vital historic importance. It casts an entirely new light on the events which took place thereafter,” Campbell said.

Campbell, recounting the events of almost five decades ago, said that in the 1966 elections, the People’s Political Party (PPP) narrowly won the general elections over the St. Vincent Labour Party (SVLP), five seats to four. In one constituency, North Leeward, Sam Slater of the PPP won with 1504 votes to 1500 votes for James Ferdinand of the SVLP.

That government was to last nine months.

“In early 1967, the bombshell was dropped. Mr. Slater who had won the North Leeward seat for PPP crossed the floor and went to join the Labour Party. Uproar! New Elections,” Cambell said.

In the 1967 elections, the SVLP won six seats, including the North Leeward seat. The PPP won three seats.

“At the time, lots of rumours abounded as to what motivated Mr. Slater to cross the floor,” Campbell said.

In 1966, James Mitchell, a Labour Party candidate, had contested the Grenadines seat for the first time. He was successful, and again won the seat in the elections of 1967.

“He was involved. So if he says the Labour Party paid Mr. Slater $50,000 to cross the floor, then I suppose we have to accept that,” Campbell, himself a former politician said.

Sir James was again involved in the elections and subsequent events of 1972, which led to the Alliance government being brought down in 1974.

In those general elections, the PPP of Ebenezer Joshua and the SVLP each won six seats and Mitchell, who had resigned from the SVLP early in 1972, won his seat in the Grenadines.

The number of seats had increased from 9 to 13 following the attainment of statehood in 1969.

Campbell related that both parties wanted Mitchell to join them so that they could form government. Mitchell finally formed a coalition government with the PPP, on the condition that he be made Premier.

Campbell, the consumate story teller, related that in August 1974, at the national Agricultural Exhibition held at Richmond Hill, Joshua, who had given up leadership of government to Mitchell in 1972, in his address, told the parable of the scorpion who asked an alligator to give it a ride on its back from one side of a bank to another.

Campbell said he immediately suspected that something was up.

A few weeks later, early in September 1974, a motion of no confidence against the PPP was tabled by the SVLP and debated in the House of Assembly. When the vote was taken, Ebenezer Joshua and his wife Ivy (known popularly as Mammy and Pappy), sided with the SVLP and brought down the alliance government.

“Speculation abounded over what had motivated Mr. Joshua and his wife to bring down his own government,” Campbell said, adding, “There has been speculation since then about money passing. But last night, in his interview, Sir James cleared up what has been a mystery since 1974. He revealed that Mr. and Mrs. Joshua were paid $75,000 by P.H. Veira!”

Elections were held on Decemer 9, 1974. Labour won 10 seats, Joshua and his wife 2 seats. They had a 12 -1 majority over Mitchell who had won his seat in the Grenadines.