Eustace should have waited before making comment – Mitchell

Former Vincentian Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell is of the view that Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace should have waited before making a comment to BBC journalists working on a television programme about Harlequin Hotels and Resorts.{{more}}

According to Sir James, Eustace should have held his comment until the programme had been broadcast.

“In terms of what Mr Eustace has been doing, if the BBC were interviewing me on Dr Gonsalves, I was not going to get my mouth in that until the BBC published what they had to say,” Mitchell said on Sunday night on the television programme “Unrendered”.

“You have to be very careful with these things; when things are going on where you don’t have all the facts, you can’t allow events to dictate your policy; you have to be out front with your policy and know where you stand,” he continued.

However, when SEARCHLIGHT contacted the Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday, he said that while Sir James was entitled to his own opinion, he does not think that he did anything wrong by agreeing to be interviewed by the BBC.

Eustace, by way of a press statement on February 20, said he received a request for an interview on February 12, from journalists from the BBC to discuss issues regarding the Buccament Bay Resort and Harlequin’s top man David Ames. He said he agreed to be interviewed on February 13.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said on February 17 that he was accosted by the two BBC journalists, who he said told him they had three witnesses who are willing to testify that Ames was seen taking a briefcase of money into the prime minister’s office, but came out without it.

“While the cameras rolled, Mr Paul Kenyon of the BBC put to me allegations that Prime Minister Gonsalves received substantial bribes from Dave Ames and sought my response to these allegations if they were discovered to be true,” Eustace said in his press statement.

He concluded the statement by stating that the truth would be revealed when the BBC programme “Panorama” airs sometime this month. (DD)